


Unfortunate Vacation

by jakerina534



Category: My Chemical Romance
Genre: Angst, Dark, Horror, Multi, Mythology - Freeform, Vampires, krasue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-16
Updated: 2018-11-24
Packaged: 2019-07-13 01:40:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 24,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16007630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jakerina534/pseuds/jakerina534
Summary: Gerard starts acting incredibly weird. Frank looks back on the recent honeymoon and tries to find some clues in that event. On top of that, infants started disappearing from a nearby hospital. Iero asks Way's best friend to help him figur out what happened to Gee.





	1. Prologue

"Gerard, Gerard, are you there?" - I ask.

Dammit! He's not in the bed again!

Since the time when we had our honeymoon, Way has changed. Sometimes he'd be lively and optimistic, like never before. But there were times when Way was fragile and looked like he'd slip away within seconds.

Today wasn't an exception. Gerard could barely walk, unintentionally dropping every single object that was inches away from him. His expression was full of despair and sorrow, as if he was done for. The greyish-brown tone of my husband's skin didn't make things look any better, It felt like Way would pass away on the next day. He didn't eat much, however food had zero effect on his ominously bad state of health. If someone told me that Gee's body was no longer capable of digesting human food and drinks, I'd have believed him. Regardless of how much and how many times he would eat, Gerard still had more in common with a hospice patient, than a young man in good health.

I must admit, I still couldn't get accustomed to it, though, deep down, I knew that Gerard would soon be as fit as a fiddle, as if nothing happened. Then, he'd go on and on, talking about our band and his comic books. I was still worried about Way and I was doing my best to help him. However, I didn't have the guts to take him to the doctor. It felt like on his bad days Gee wouldn't have survived the way to a nearby hospital. In fact, I had a strong feeling that no doctor would be able to find an explanation to his state. Besides, I couldn't take my husband to the hospital for a month(as they do with people who struggle with such conditions), for on the next day Gerard would wake up, fresh and hyperactive, like a high school jock. Then, of course, they would've registered him as healthy. This is the sealed circle Way and I go through from time to time: today he's on the verge of death, tomorrow my spouse will have the strength of a raging bull. As for my non-scientific suspicions, I'd ignore them, for I watch way too many horror movies with Gee.

I try to find a nearby lamp by touch and try to turn it on. But its energy goes out and it pops. The whole room is shaking, as if there's an earthquake. I find a counter and open one of the drawers. Luckily, I find a flashlight(Gerard and I wanted to go camping on the next day).

Unfortunately, there's no use in it, for the light switches on and off, as if the batteries are about to die. I leave my and my spouse's bedroom and hear a strange sound. I freeze in silence, expecting to hear it again and hoping to find out what it is. My expectations are confirmed. I hear it again.

I hear a gut-wrenching moan and mesmerizing singing, that sounds like Gerard's. But why would he scare me like that? I direct the light to my left and see the upcoming date: March 16th. Halloween is too far away, so I pass on this dumb assumption.

Ignoring my crippling fear, I follow the sound of the mysterious voice. My instincts are begging me not to do it, but I don't seem to care anymore. I dial Gerard's cell number and I hear the automatic response: "Hey, you've called Gerard Way, Frank Iero's husband. Please, leave a message, if it's something serious." What makes the atmosphere more creepy is the fact that I can hear Gerard's ringtone from a distance.

I come down to the ground floor and something falls down. Judging by the bell-like high-pitched sound, I must have broken my spouse's favorite vase. He's going to kill me if he finds out. The ground beneath me is shaking and I hear someone crying. It feels like everything around me will crash down. The voice gets louder, but in addition to that, I hear an infant's cry for help. What would a newborn baby be doing in our house? This time, I run, trying to find the poor kid.

But I end up in the living room and there are no children nearby. The only thing I can see with the beaming light is the cellphone of my husband, that is on the couch for some reason. Then, I locate mine and senselessly stare into the abyss. The house is still shaking and I can still hear the mind-numbing moan.

Something tells me that trouble awaits me. But what if I'm being paranoid? I come to one of the windows with a view to the backyard. Ironically, there's no one outside, but I can still hear the same sounds clearly. I peek outside and look around. My neighbors' lights are out. I happen to be the only idiot running around the house, trying to find the freak who started the SFX show inside. I walk away from the window and stand in the center of the living room. My gut insists that I go to the exit and leave.

This is what I do, but suddenly, I see a familiar face in front of me. The stranger has no body, he only has a head, a neck and vital organs dangling below. He smiles at me in a witty way, as if he knows who I am. My heart starts racing so loudly, that I can hear every single beat. I walk backwards and accidentally hit myself agains the wall. The monster won't stop smiling and I start losing my mind at the sight of seeing blood dripping from his mouth. 

I close my eyes and open them again, having the vague hope that I may be dreaming or hallucinating after the sleepless night I had before. It turns out to be vain, for I can still see that thing. It comes closer to me.

Now it's inches away from me, at arm's reach. Still the same smile and intrigued expression, as if I'm not a stranger to him.

"Hello, Frankie." - the man says with a familiar voice, and then attempts to attack me.


	2. Chapter 2

"Good morning, Frank." - Gerard says, coming out of the shower and drying his black hair with a towel. Once again, I realize why I fell in love with him in the first place. His hair frames his face like a curtain, his forehead is covered by a couple of short locks, There's a certain kind of energy and carelessness in his eyes. It feels like the near-death condition that I saw him in yesterday was nothing but a nightmare. I can see a large bathroom with lots of styling products, makeup items, a large mirror and a shower cabin behind him. The latter feels like it was made for specific entertainment between two spouses like us.  
I come to him and kiss Gee, ironically laughing. Then, I point at the shower cabin with an intrigued look on my face. He rests his hand on my shoulder and admits with sincere regret: "I'm sorry, Frank, I can't. I'm very busy now. I need to buy diapers and bed sheets for the nursery."

I'm in the mood to laugh out loud, but I hope he doesn't notice that. How can a guy, who looks so much like a medieval vampire, want to have anything to do with children, who'll be scared shitless if they see him. Though my husband is a handsome man, I must face the truth: lately, Gerard uses way too much white foundation and red eyeshadow, making his eyes look wine red. Lately, my husband applies make-up with more frequency, than a 00s emo musician. I used to look like that in high school, but it was an adolescent phase, the memory of which still haunts me a lot.

Since when is my spouse so involved in babysitting? Why does he want to deal with the ones, who can't even communicate with him? I didn't say that out loud, but Way figured everything out, as usual. If someone tells me he's a psychic, I'll fall for it.

The thing is, after we got married, we went to Thailand for our honeymoon. Though Gerard adores independent travelling, I convinced him to hire a tour guide. I had a gut feeling that things would go wrong, but I took no precautions. The first days were magnificent.

Our hotel had a view to a mesmerizing beach with lots of extraordinary flowers and unusual fruits. The sound of the waves, in spite of it being incredibly loud, would relax us every time we heard it. The waters hypnotized us with its turquoise color and the glow of sunlight reflecting on it. 

I helped Gerard with his suitcase, though he was very stubborn about it. On our left, there was a painting of Buddha, on both sides in front of the door to the balcony, there were flower pots with enormous orchids. There was a soft terracotta carpet on the floor, smoother than natural fur. The living room had a large scarlet red couch, made specifically for magical nights between spouses. We had a wide plasma screen TV on our right, just like the ones my husband used to see in futuristic comic books. It looked like the future WAS close. There was a counter in the left corner with six drawers. In the right corner, there was a huge bronze closet, that, surprisingly, didn't block the way to the balcony.

Feeling extremely fatigue, I instantly sat on the couch and Gerard's phone, that was lying on the counter, rang. "Please, pick it up instead of me, I'm exhausted." - Gee whined from a distance. I guessed he found the bed and started reading his comic books. Not wanting to bother my love, I picked it up.

I heard a familiar, smooth low voice. This man used to talk to Gee more frequently, than to me, but he was pleased to hear me as well. Wanting to move to the purpose of his call(he was the best man at our wedding), he said that he started touring with his band and he couldn't visit us(I guess, Gerard wanted to see his friend for some time). 

Since we got married, many months have passed, but for some reason, we could only have our honeymoon in December(we got married in August). Way was looking for a job(I already had one, but Gerard didn't want to be a liability after his band broke up), and his best friend kept himself busy, too. In fact, HE was the one who got us acquainted with each other. But I'll speak of that later.

"I hope you two will have a great time." - the friend said. - "Remember, you guys are fucking awesome" And then he hung up.

Gerard started laughing so loudly, I had a feeling that the entire hotel could hear him. I guess, I managed to mess things up somehow. Barely controlling his roaring laughter, Way said that he could perfectly hear the conversation because I accidentally increased the volume. And noted that I should've told the friend he said "hi".

"Gerard, sweetie, you know that I don't have time for this. The flight drained all my strength." - I whined. It was my turn to complain like a child. My spouse insisted that I'd come to him. Taking a deep breath, I found him, following the sound of his voice, though I could barely walk.

The bedroom was different from the rest of the rooms due to its monochrome aesthetic and minimalism. Gerard was lying on the bed, like a bored monarch. He smiled, winking his eye in a witty manner. I figured he was lying about being fatigue. Before I could call him out on insincerity, I noticed that his hands were trembling and he could barely talk properly. But that didn't stop my husband from stretching out his hand and caressing my cheek.

And then our lips met.

"Frank! Fraaank! Are you there? Hello?" - Gerard calls me, snapping his fingers in front of me a couple of times. I instantly come back to reality, hoping to figure out why my spouse is acting so strangely. It didn't work. Way takes my hand and says: "I need to go to the job interview. Dinner's ready."

Not a minute passes, and he's gone. I look around and I'm in complete disarray. I see lots of cooking stuff, a few plates with recently cooked food, the ones my husband meant. How did I get here? We were just on our way out of the bathroom.

Abhorring the thoughts of my light confusion, I go outside for a walk. The sun is hidden behind thick clouds. It feels like my spouse went to the job interview specifically when that weather began. Is he really human? I don't want to believe in it, for I watched too many horror flicks with Gee. I love Halloween(besides, my birthday falls on that day), but Way doesn't seem to make a big deal out of Halloween, like I do. He could've been a rock musician, but after breaking his band up, he realized that this wasn't for him. Instead, Gerard chooses countless hours with kids who can't even walk on their own. I could expect anything from my husband, but not the career of a babysitter.

I work as a tattoo artist on one famous freelance platform. Due to the fact that I have more experience, than most of my older colleagues, I get paid very well. Though Way is very passive and introverted, he's not interested in being a liability. But why would he want to work with infants? Is he really THAT desperate?

Captivated by doubt and fear, I call his brother. Due to Mikey's tired voice, I could've picked a better time for this. Outraged by my persistence, my husband's brother calls me out, with a ton of rage in his voice. Then, after calming down, he asks why I called.

"There may be something wrong with my husband, I mean, your brother." - I claim, then blush, figuring how dumb I sound.

"Jesus, Frank, did you watch From Dusk Till Dawn and Dracula on the same night again? I understand that your birthday falls on such a date, when it IS appropriate, but I'm afraid you're crossing the line." - Mikey growls.

\- Your brother makes me do it.

\- Don't mess with me, Frank. We both know it's a huge pleasure for you!

Not wanting to waste my time, I explain why I feel that way. But Way is unable to hold his laughter back at the hearing of this: "Frank Anthony Thomas Iero, tell me honestly, what the hell do you two do every night? I presume it's not just about horror movies anymore. Are you taking anything? Or smoking something? Which is it?"

\- What the hell are you talking about, Mikey?! How can you even THINK that way?

\- Listen, Frank, here's a piece of advice: quit watching horror flicks every night and leave my brother alone. He knows what he's doing. Gerard may be the influencee, but not up to that extent. If he wants to wipe vomit from children's mouths, that's his problem. I can't believe you dragged me into this...

\- But it's not just about...

\- Iero, please. Shut. Up. I can't listen to you anymore. I've got a lot on my plate, music to write. And there you go, making up the kind of vampire stories that would make Bram Stoker roll in his grave.

\- Mikey, I wanted...

\- I can't take it anymore. Goodbye, Frank. Next time you call me, make sure you mean business, not bullshit.

And Gee's brother hangs up. Calling Gee's best friend is a stupid idea. If Mikey made me pay for the time he believes he wasted because of me, then our friend will rip my throat out. He may be kind and caring, but I must confess, what I told Mikey, really DOES sound like bullshit. And the guy doesn't like it when someone makes him waste his time. Perhaps, Mikey's right. I'm making things up. So, Way looks like a teen goth girl's wet dream. So what? He may be weak from time to time, but things happen.

However, that doesn't comfort me at all. Gerard is acting very strange lately. And something IS going on. Weather change is uncommon, so it is not the cause. My guesses are as superstitious as the mind of a peasant from the Middle Ages.

Realizing that my paranoia will drive me nuts, I come back home. The house seems to be shaking, but I can barely feel it. Out of curiosity, I enter Gerard's room, assuming I may find answers there.

It looks exactly like a typical comic book fan's room: lots of issues, music and a few bass guitars, notebooks with old song lyrics written on them. For some reason, everything is black and blood red, however, it feels like yesterday my spouse's room had more colors and brightness than a rave party. There's a black two-piece bed in the center of the room with a soft red blanket and black-and-white pillows. On my right there is a huge plasma TV, just like the one we saw in our room at the hotel during our honeymoon. On both of the sides, there are large closets for disks and vinyl records. It's still a mystery how Gerard managed to collect so many of them. There are two counters on both sides of the bed with pictures of us together, inserted into curvy and Gothic frames.

I feel a little sentimental at the sight of those photos, though romance is not my thing. But seeing more of them on the bed is what makes me speechless. I guess, even yesterday, Way thought of us, in spite of his messed up condition. Ignoring the fact that he's my opposite and that he's been acting strange, I'm starstruck by people envying us.

Although it's not surprising. We don't argue much. Even when it happens, we instantly make it up to each other and talk about how our day went by, as if nothing happened. Then, we make plans for the next one. Gerard always knows how to surprise me and I should give him some credit for that. But how did he change everything in his room, without asking for my help? My spouse clearly isn't a bodybuilder and, in fact, the remodeling was never necessary in the first place. It should've been noisy, but I didn't hear a thing. 

Suddenly, I notice a neon green trace on his unfinished meal. Back then, I gave him a liver sandwich. I take it and I see the trace more clearly. The liver is untouched, but it's dry, as if Gerard sucked blood from it. Although Mikey strongly recommended that I wouldn't jump into conclusions, I feel sick at ease at the sight of this. I feel like the dark colors in my husband's room aren't just a sudden wish. The countless hypotheses make me sick. But I need to figure out what's going on with Way. Before it's too late.


	3. Chapter 3

My husband returns from work in an indescribably tragic state of health. He can barely walk. As soon as I notice that Gerard is about to fall down, I run to him in order to catch him. The man captivates me with a strong grip and looks at me with so much pain, as if I'm his only hope for survival. I put Way's hand on my shoulder and I seat him on the chair. Then, I help my spouse take off his shoes. Gee's entire body is trembling, his hands are shaking, as if he came across something deadly and dangerous. It feels like Gerard traveled from Antartica to the US. After getting a grip on my hand, he thanks me, but my heart starts racing every time I'd hear his voice tremble. I ask him to be silent and not to worry much. Way obediently nods and I, after having taken off his jacket, help him make it to his room.

After ending up in his personal kingdom of red and black, I have a powerful feeling that if I don't help Gerard lie on the bed, he'll fall down and hit his head very hard. In spite of his weight, I manage to lay him on the bed, removing the plate with the sandwich beforehand.

For some reason, Way looks at that piece of liver with regret. As I attempt to bring it to the kitchen, I drop it on the floor. I instantly collect the broken pieces with my bare hands, ignoring the pain, forgetting about a safer way to do it. It goes without saying, that I end up having a long, but not a very deep cut on the palm of my hand.

His fatigue changes into uncontrollable thirst, which is what I see in his brown eyes. That sentiment alters him to the point where I can barely recognize him. Realizing that I won't be able to stand another minute with Gerard, I take a cellphone from my pocket with my unharmed hand and dial our friend.

"No worries. I'll be right up." - he says, the moment I try to describe what my husband is going through. I conceal the part where I assume that Way may be a vampire, for he won't appreciate it if I try to play tricks on him. Besides, I don't have valid proof of my thoughts. In fact, even I can barely make sense of my spouse's odd behavior. 

It doesn't take the friend too long to come. He rushes into Gee's room faster than the speed of light and instantly starts asking me about his health: "Is he alright? What's going on? What happened to your hand?"

I look at Gee. He still keeps staring at my bleeding hand, which makes me feel so unsettled, that I turn away and look at our friend.

"Holy shit, Frank, you're bleeding! I'll go get the first aid kit." - he yells. I immediately stop the guy, grabbing his skinny tattooed wrist. "I'll take care of it myself." - I say, and then mutter to myself and run to the kitchen. - "I hope you're not wounded." "Of course not. Why did you ask me that?" - he screams back. I quickly take the first aid kit and run back.

Thankfully, Way's ravenous mind didn't encourage to turn his best friend into a snack and kill him.

I open the kit and stretch out my arm. After sanitizing the wound, the bandages my hand with his left one.

"Do you feel better?" - he asks. I nod in response.

Gerard, though, that cunning bastard, laughs in a husky and weak voice. I feel very awkward. If someone told me that my husband was replaced by someone else, I'd fall for it. His conduct is too creepy for someone in such a fucked up state.

Then, our friend asks for our consent to stay for the night with us, so that he could monitor Way's condition. I let him do it, but Gerard is too enthusiastic about it, and in a very sinister way. There's no way in hell I'm allowing to my spouse devour our best friend.

"Iero, please, take a break. You shouldn't worry so much." - our buddy says, peeking out of the window. Besides, it's time for you to sleep," 

I guess he's right. The sight of the exsanguinated liver is more than enough. But I don't want to give Gerard the opportunity to slaughter a living human, so I keep one eye open. The friend still insists that I'd go to sleep, but I don't listen to him. So, the guy decides to go to sleep instead of me.

"Can I use a sleeping bag? It would be best if the both of us could assist him." - he says.

I open the closet and hand it over to our friend. At the sight of my activeness, the man says: "I appreciate your gratitude and I know that you're aware of how tired I get after rehearsals, but I could've done it on my own." I put the bag on the floor and let him take care of the rest.

I quietly scoff. It would be better for him to try to survive a night with someone, whose routine resembles that of a vampire, and THEN act all independent.

The man takes off his rectangle-rimmed glasses and asks me to put them on the counter. The moment I do it, he switches off the light and closes his eyes. In spite of the dark, I can see things somewhat clearly because of the bright moonlight. Then, I run to the kitchen, looking for every single anti-vampire amulet known to man.

Shit! If I wake him up, he won't be okay with it. He must get some sleep. After having carefully placed icons and garlic around the room, I lie on Gerard's bed and pretend to be asleep.

But he is not Way and he can't be fooled like that. Although this used to work on my spouse.

"Are you out of your fucking mind?!" - he whispers aggressively - "I know you mean well, but I need to get some sleep. So do you, by the way! Quit messing around and go to sleep."

"I think Way's gone." - I say, sincerely alarmed.

\- Frank, it's not funny! Your birthday is too many months away for you to joke like that. Quit clowning!

\- If you don't believe me, turn the light on and see for yourself.

\- Fine. Fool me once, shame on you.

I'm right. Gerard IS gone. As if he was never there.

Although my friend is trying his best to find a rational explanation, I can't ignore the fear showing in his brown eyes. I want to joke about it, but I understand that it would be very rude and inappropriate, so I keep my mouth shut. Then, I offer him to look for Gerard with me. The window is open, so, he won't believe me again.

"He probably went outside to eat. Go to bed, Frank." - he blabbers, yawning, and turns off the light.

Hoping that he's safe, I try to sleep. Thankfully, insomnia doesn't catch me in its grip, so it happens easily. 

Suddenly, I feel someone pushing me by the arm. Barely having opened my eyes, I turn around and see my friend. This time, he's scared shitless. I guess he'll believe me this time. The man looks around, crippled by fear. Then, he looks at me, takes a deep breath and says: "I saw something tonight."

I do believe him, but I am in complete denial. I finally get what I wanted: confirmation. But just when I receive it, I try my hardest to hope he's just messing around. Alas, he's not that type of person.

"Listen, I felt some odd scent. It was so strong, that it felt like it was hitting my nose. It turns out to be vinegar. I turned on the light, put on my glasses and went to the kitchen. After I checked the fridge, I noticed that a bottle of vinegar was missing. You were asleep and Gerard was nowhere to be seen. So I closed the fridge. I looked out of the window and saw something one would never see in a nightmare. The scent of vinegar got stronger and I realized that it was coming from a creature. The light was too weak, so I couldn't see it clearly. 

It had a head, a neck, but the body wasn't there at all. Dark hair was flowing down to his sharp chin, the entire body(or what was left of it) had a neon green glow, as if it was a radioactive demon from a horror movie. I made a very big mistake by looking what was instead of the body. Judging by the shape and curves, those were vital organs. I had to hide, so that it wouldn't see me. I hid behind the fridge and, a few minutes later, I peeked outside again. It felt like the monster was gone.

Another mistake. I started hearing someone's breathing. The smell of vinegar got stronger. For some unknown reasons, the monster entered your house. I had nothing to defend myself with. The knives were absent and the only thing I could find was bowls for cats. And getting the demon's attention would be a dumb idea. Unfortunately, he saw a large cat. Its breathing and heartbeat became more frequent and got louder, so I figured out what the monster was going to do. I couldn't move. My whole body was stiff as fuck. The monster soared past me, focusing solely on the cat. I wanted to scream, but it felt like my voice was taken away. Even if I could, that thing would've probably killed me faster than a bullet. By the time it attacked the cat, I noticed that the monster had familiar facial features. That perturbed me. A lot. On top of that, his hair was black, like your husband's. The animal started hissing and leaning away from the attacks, but it was pointless, for the cat never stood a chance in the first place. This... thing... bit right through the throat of your pet and started drinking its blood. Then, it managed to dissect its stomach, not having any arms or legs. Judging by its ecstatic moan, the monster was full. After finishing off his "meal", the monster headed to the exit. Not being able to look at the corpse of your cat, I tried distracting myself by looking at the sky.

Everything around me was revealed by the bright glow of sunlight. I could see a light yellow stripe on the horizon and the sun slowly began to rise. And for a moment, I thought that this thing looked at me. Judging by its calm and merry expression, he was full. And I heard its creepy voice call out my name, giving me goosebumps. I didn't know how he knew it, but then he said: "Hi". The echo of its voice made the whole room shake, as if there was a light quake. Then, the monster flew away and I went back to sleep." - he tells with fright in his voice, as if he just saw it.

And yes, I'm still in denial. Things start making sense to the both of us and I don't like the looks of it.

\- You can't be serious.

\- I swear, I saw it with my own eyes. What do you think happened to your cat?

\- Got hit by a car. Tragic, but things happen.

\- No, Frank, cars have nothing to do with it. It was DISSECTED, HAD ITS THROAT RIPPED OUT AND WAS FUCKING EXSANGUINATED! It became the monster's meal. I'm sorry for not believing you.

We're both right. Holy fuck.

\- What do we do now?

\- Use an online encyclopedia, I guess. But it's no ordinary vampire. I've never seen anything like this. Not even in fiction.

\- I can imagine how you feel. It's a good idea, by the way.

\- But let's read the information at my place. No offense, but I can't stay in your house after what I saw.

\- It's OK. I'm creeped out as well.

I head to my room and my friend calls out my name again. He's worried and feels very sorry for me. I guess he is concerned about me and Gerard. Alas, Way is still not at hom. I'll need to bury the cat that was killed by an unidentified monster. My buddy is still alarmed and feels very unsettled after what he saw. Though I say that I feel him, the truth is that I don't. Not until I see that thing with my own eyes. If we see it again, the encounter won't end well.

\- Frank.

\- Yes?

\- Sorry for not believing you.

\- Don't worry.

\- OK. Bye.

\- Bye.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any ideas on who this friend might be? I dropped some hints in the chapter, so pay close attention. Feel free to write down your suggestions in the comments


	4. Chapter 4

"Hello, Frank. Are you ready?" - my friend asks, sighing. I can hear a tone of regret and tensity in his voice. A week has passed, but the guy still can't come to terms with what he saw.

I enter his house and my friend leads me to his room, but we are walking too slowly, as if we're afraid of something. Something that we may find out about my spouse. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if Gee's perfect condition, followed by near-death weakness and vice versa have something in common with the demon that ripped our cat apart, without using hands. I really want to find a rational explanation that could erase my fears. Perhaps, our colleague is too nervous, but he's gonna hate it if I start arguing with him on the case and invalidating it. Besides, what he saw influenced him a lot, so saying that he's out of his mind would be inappropriate. Trying to ignore the fact that he's trembling and as pale as a skeleton, I look at his tattoos. The guy's arms are almost fully covered in them, including his thin wrists. There's a wedding ring on one of his hands. Paying closer attention to his hands, I can see that my friend bit his nails that night, which is something he does when he's scared or nervous.

His room resembles one big memorial to the history of rock music. Not being able to distract myself by looking at the interior, I instantly ask my friend to start the browser. I look at him, silently asking for permission to sit by the computer and start my research. I type in the symptoms that Gerard would experience three times a week. The results turn out to be ominous and confusing at the same time. From depression and insomnia to Lyme’s disease and chronic fatigue syndrome. 

“THIS IS BULLSHIT!!” - we yell synchronically and I, being completely startled, look at the guy again, realizing how strong his voice is. The man only shrugs his shoulders.   
Lyme’s disease? Then how is Way still alive and active? We haven’t been camping in ages. Besides, the online encyclopedia tells that people with this disorder are bedridden till they die. And Gerard, on the contrary, would be as fit as a fiddle on the next day. Chronic fatigue syndrome is also not the case, for Gee is too energetic after the one-day downfall of this health state. Insomnia is also eliminated, for my spouse shows no signs of it. There’s only one suggestion and I freeze in fear.

I look at my friend and he breaks into a questionnaire: “Has anything terrible happened to Gee? Is he showing signs of suicidal ideation? Has he lost interest in the things he used to love?” I catch myself at the sense of not hearing anything besides the intonation that one has when one asks questions. And I start feeling lightheaded. I feel like the world is spinning around me like a carousel. Then, I black out and fall down.

I wake up, still in his room, lying on the couch. The guy is still as pale as a ghost, but he looks more concerned about me than his messed up state after that sleepless night. If I were in the guy’s shoes, I’d go to bed instantly. Remorse takes me in its grip and I feel sorry about selfishly putting my friend through this.

“Are you alright? You scared the shit out of me!” - he says, as fear is showing in his small eyes. I even get the feeling that his voice may be trembling when he speaks. Considering what he saw last night, I’m not surprised.  
“Forget about me. What about you? You look like a reaper! We must find out what that thing is!” - I respond, avoiding the guy’s cautious glare.  
\- Don’t fuck with my head, Frank. Tell me what’s wrong.   
\- Sorry. Mikey, Gerard’s brother and my former bandmate, used to have depression. I don’t want Gerard to have to go through the same shit.  
\- I understand. But if it’s true, then I’ll do my best to help you and Gee.

Then, my friend fixes his glasses, pats me on the shoulder and sits by the computer. I try to stop him, but then I figure that my discomfort won’t let me say a word. Besides, he’s too hellbent on helping others. That’s the way he is, and it’s pointless to argue with the guy at such times.

I get a grip on myself and peek from behind him. The man is typing in the description of what he saw last night. My friend takes a deep breath, moves the cursor to the “Search” button. I can tell he knows I’m right behind him, but it’s like it bothers him least of all.

I hear a clicking sound and what we see later resurrects the same old denial.

I see exactly what the man was talking about. But there are a few issues. All of the monsters shown on the screen are women. And there are no photos, only ancient paintings and fanmade digital art, Some are mildly creepy, others have so much gore that the sight of them would drive you insane. It’s like everything my friend told me about last night happened to me as well. I can picture everything perfectly and I have nothing to say, except for a ton of foul words. Still, even that wouldn’t be enough to describe the utter shock and denial that I’m going through by looking at every picture and reading every caption in the search results.

“B-but, there are only women..” - I say, knowing that my disagreement is nothing but a pathetic straw.  
“Frank, that thing may have had hair below its chin. But I swear, it was a man. Would I lie to you about it?” - the guy replies, then we cautiously at each other.

We know what’s wrong. The search results have various names for that monster, but the most common names are “penanggalan” and “krasue”. It’s a vampire-like creature that hunts during the night. Usually, it’s transformed by a witch if the person fails to follow the conditions of the deal one made with her.

We can feel someone breathing behind us. The room is shaking as if there is a quake in our area. But the outdoors are perfectly safe. We turn around, but there’s no one there. I try my best to assume it’s just a drought or an illusion.

Both of us are trying our hardest to believe that there’s nobody here. Alas, we’re perfectly aware that our hopes are vain. Someone’s near us and we’re lucky we’re not dead or wounded yet. It’s doubtful that the thing that devoured my cat would leave us alone on the next day. I’m certain it wants to do something to us.

“Sit next to me. Don’t you dare move away from me. Not even an inch farther.” - the guy firmly says, staring at the door leading to his room.

An echo of someone singing vaguely spreads across the house. I don’t know about my friend, but I’m freaked the fuck out and I have serious goosebumps running down my spine. It’s a man’s voice, and it’s wildly similar to Gerard’s. However, it’s more high pitched and sounds sort of dead, rather than lively. Also, it doesn’t have the rasp that my spouse’s voice has.

The lights go out, though I see a neon green hue. Exactly the one my friend was talking about. Dealing with it would be a dumb idea. And a fatal one. If it could take care of a cat, without using any limbs, who knows what it could do to me or my friend? Also, I’m pretty sure that this thing may be incredibly fast when it comes to flying, so it would rip my throat or his, before either of us would’ve even tried to defend ourselves.

“Frank, I think my glasses are broken. And I’m certain that this thing did it on purpose.” - he says, holding onto my hand.  
It’s so dark that I can barely see the lines and curves of all of the objects around and in front of me. The only source of light is that monster soaring a few miles away from us.   
However, it’s still visibly available. The singing starts again and the shaking gets stronger. I hear some objects cracking. The monster is using its voice to wreak havoc on the house and it’s doing this successfully.

“It’s a miracle we’re still alive” - I blurt out, knowing I’m making things worse.  
\- “Yep.” - my friend replies so briefly and calmly, that I’m even more concerned than before.

I guess this monster has no interest in slaughtering us. If it wanted to, there would be nothing left of us but blood, skeletons and some organs dangling out of the flesh it would’ve had no interest in devouring. This thing wants to show us what we’re dealing with. So that we wouldn’t even TRY to mess with it and let it slaughter everyone it wants.

“Hello, Chester.” - the demon says, as its voice echoes across the house. - “Hello, Frankie.” I’m speechless. How does it know our names? How does that thing knows that nickname? The only person who calls me that is Gerard Way. 

Then, the monster flies away and the lights are back on, as if it was just a nightmare. But everything is as real as it gets. The glasses actually are broken, so I search in my pockets and give my friend another pair of glasses(I suspected he’d need a spare pair). I get that I had no idea what he felt that night until now.

Trying to distract him and myself, I take his hand and lead him outside. The damage that was done to his house is something that Chaz wouldn’t have wanted to see with his own eyes. The poor guy is already damaged by helplessness and he knows that the monster is practically invincible.

What does that thing feed on? Was the cat just the beginning? How are we still alive? The monster is certainly capable of ripping throats, in spite of the tendons and thick layers of muscle and skin on the neck. I look at the nursery again and I have unsettling suspicions. Perhaps, that thing actually DOES feed on babies. 

Though I’m trying to stay calm(and so is Chester, but he’s failing), questions are running through my head, not helping me chill and forget the fact that we nearly died today. Though the demon had no interest in killing us, there’s a chance it may change its mind next time. Even though living with that monster around is very unsettling, we’ll need to do more research as soon as possible, or it will think that newborns and pregnant women just aren’t enough for its thirst.

Everything looks normal. The traffic is still just as active and rapid; people are walking around, minding their own business. I can still hear the birds chirping, but their singing reminds me of that scary voice we heard today. The sun is peaking out of the horizon, just like it did on the night Chester first saw the Krasue. It’s like this world is completely unaware of the existence of a monster that can easily murder everyone it wants. I turn to the right and see the nursery where Gerard works. What will happen next? Who was that thing? How does it know about us? Does Gerard have anything to do with this? I there still a non-supernatural explanation to this or are there none of those?

Chester turns around and looks into my eyes with regret, as if he’s about to say or do something that will disappoint me. My friend hugs me, patting me on the back. It’s a very bad sign. He tends to do it when someone is in trouble or going through a tough time. Due to my height, I can almost hear his heart racing like hell(he’s taller than me). Nothing’s alright. We’re in grave danger and we must find out what to do about it.

“What is it, dude?” - I ask, unsure if I want to know the answer.  
“I think Gerard is the Krasue.” - he replies.

And I freeze.


	5. Chapter 5

Mike.

I’m sitting by the table with my best friend’s wife, Talinda, next to me. She just got a phone call from him and the news sound alarming. One of Chester’s friends may have become a ravenous demon. Though at first I find it hard to believe, after doing some research, it makes sense.

Lately, lots of babies are missing in Blue Water’s nursery. It may seem normal, assuming that the mothers must have taken them away. But that’s not the case. Not only are the mothers completely unaware of what happened to the children, but also, it wasn’t a thing before Gerard got accepted into the nursery. The babies would later be found in forests, but in the shape of corpses with dissected stomachs and small amounts of blood dripping from the bodies. The cops still think it’s a rabid dog, however, I’d agree to disagree.

I look at Talinda, hoping she won’t be one of those victims. She’s a very beautiful woman with long black hair flowing down to her chest. Her brown eyes are highlighted by makeup and her calm thin lips are always curved in a smile, though I still have no idea why. Talinda’s wearing a tight hot pink dress that emphasizes every curve of her body.

Suddenly, the woman stands up and says: “You seem thirsty, I’ll get you some water”. I take an accidental look at her body and notice that her stomach has gotten much larger than average. It’s a very, very, very bad sign. For what I read about Krasue demons is that they prey not only on infants, but on pregnant women as well. I can’t let that happen to her. 

I search my pockets for my cellphone, but the only thing I find is a set of keys to my house. I notice Talinda’s cellphone on the table. Ignoring all of the thoughts about how stupid and reckless I’m acting, I call Chester instantly.

“Hello, Mike, what’s up?” - he says with the good old low and smooth voice that I’ve known since the early 00’s.  
“I’m at your place. Your wife invited me. I have some good and bad news for you.” - I respond, as caution explicitly reveals itself through the tone of my voice.

\- Well, let’s start with the good news.

\- She’s pregnant.

Bennington breaks into laughter, as if I told the funniest joke that ever existed. I’m mildly irritated, knowing that this puts his spouse in danger of being devoured by a bloodsucking monster. However, I must admit, his laughter is contagious.

“You called me literally for the sake of telling me that my wife’s on her 3rd trimester? Give me a break, Mike. What’s the next thing you’ll tell me? That the sun rises in the morning? Or that the grass is always green?” - he says, still laughing.

\- It’s not funny, Chaz. This means your wife is in danger. Krasue feed on pregnant women as well.  
Frank.

“What? Oh, my God, no! You can’t be serious!” - Chester says, as his voice begins to tremble.  
Then, I hear the following(I can’t hear who’s talking to him, so Bennington’s voice is the only thing I got): “Well, I have some bad news for you, too. And I’d better say, fucked up ones. I saw that thing twice. And it knows who I am. OK. Yes, I got it. Yes, I’m at Frank’s. OK. Bye”

The man runs his fingers through his spiky blonde hair and sits on my couch. Since we couldn’t do the research properly, Chester asked Mike to help, alas, it feels like every time Shinoda googles “Krasue”, reality is fucking us up in the worst ways imaginable. Bennington seems very desperate. He grabs his head with both of his arms, nervously chanting: “Fuck, what am I going to do?” I come closer to him and he looks like he’s cool with it. Unsure of whether I’m doing the right thing or not, I pat him on the back and say: “We’ll come up with a solution. Don’t worry. Your wife will not be killed by that thing.”

Suddenly, an idea pops into my head. I think that we could figure out what’s what if we go to the forest where the babies are found. Of course, we’ll talk to the cops if we’ll find any, in order to get some information. Unfortunately, I’m certain that this information will drive him nuts, so I choose to go alone, though it’s incredibly dumb of me to do so. I’ll just call Mike and tell him to pick Chazy up and take him home.

However, Chester notices that I’m moving to the exit door, so he runs to me and says: “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” I feel like lying to him would be a valid option, so as to not bother him. Besides, Bennington has seen that thing twice and saw it dissect our cat. He’s seen too much gore over the past few weeks.

“You’re heading to that forest, aren’t you?” - he asks, with a very outraged tone in his voice. The guy stands in front of the door with his arms crossed, blocking my way out. As I see that glare in his small brown eyes, I figure that he can’t be fooled at all. So I, taking a deep breath, tell him everything.

After that, Chester says: “You’re coming with me. No questions asked.” He’s right. It’s too dangerous. But I don’t want him to see that thing again and what it can do to people. I don’t want him to even IMAGINE what this monster could do to his wife. 

So, I start packing Gerard’s backpack and give mine to Bennington. Ironically, the first things I choose to put are the objects that are used against vampires in medieval mythology. Though we both know that laughter is the least appropriate reaction to that sort of thing, I crack a joke about Count Dracula and then Chester reminds me: “Dude, you placed a set of garlic around my bed and it didn’t work at all. It still saw me and called out my name.” I reply by saying that it didn’t kill him. 

The man sighs, cleaning up his glasses and putting them back on. He takes a deep breath and gloomily says: “Yet.” 

He’s right. Using garlic on that thing is clearly useless. Our cat still got killed in the aftermath and now, tons of babies are missing from the nursery where my husband works. The funny thing is, Gerard is missing, too. The staff hasn’t heard from him, nevertheless, I had to make up a story, so that they wouldn’t worry about his absence, but also so that I wouldn’t be bombarded by questions about him. Clearly, even if I wanted to, saying “My husband turns into a ravenous monster without a body every night and he’s the reason why the babies are missing” would be a very messed up idea. Thankfully, they fell for it and asked me to inform them when he comes back. He does come back, alright. But not in the kind of shape you’d want to see him in.

I take some knives, a bow and arrows and a katana that was hanging on the wall in my room. Something tells me to take a couple of empty glass soda bottles, so I do it, even though the thought is very absurd to me.

We head outside. Surprisingly, this time, everything is quiet. Cars aren’t racing insanely, like they did last time Chester and I went outside together. The sun is hidden behind a thick veil of dark gray clouds, people are walking casually and not looking anyone in the eye. As if they expect a threat to their lives from everyone that walks past them. Stray cats hide in basements, dogs are howling, as if they want to warn everyone about something dangerous and deadly. Lots of ambulance and police cars, on the other hand, are incredibly active and lively. Officers ask others questions, doctors take pregnant women to hospitals, naively hoping that they’ll prevent their deaths from the teeth of that monster. Briefly speaking, it feels like the end of the world has begun.

“No time to waste.” - Chester says, waving his hand in front of my eyes. - “We need to find that damn forest.” 

Thankfully, it was easy to find. But the vibe is very unfriendly and gut-wrenching. It’s so quiet that we can barely hear the whisper of falling leaves flying all over the place. No birds are chirping, no animals make any sounds. The sapphire blue tone of the skies is still concealed by scary dark gray clouds. There’s no one around but us. Even though lots of children are rumored to be dissected and murdered here by the Krasue, the place seems empty. Even the cops didn’t put the “POLICE LINE! DO NOT CROSS” yellow and black tape around it. 

“Everything seems…” - I slowly state, trying to look for a proper word.

“Dead.” - Chester continues, finishing what I wanted to say. - “Yes, I know. But this IS a murder scene, and you know it. What did you expect?”

\- Nothing else really. I just didn’t think that it would shock me like that.

\- Do you think that anyone has been there before the murders were a thing?

\- I don’t know. But him and me DID want to go out camping here.

Then I feel like I lost my voice. The memory of my husband is incredibly painful, as if he actually died. But he’s not dead. He just vanishes and comes back every night in the shape of a bloodsucking demon, slaughtering innocent babies and pregnant women. Of course, that’s not the real Gerard, and Bennington and I knew it. The real Gerard is long gone, with his mind possessed by a monster that seems to have come out of nowhere. Or was there something that lead to this?  
On the next week after our time in Thailand, Gerard wanted to have some privacy, so that he could make ideas for new comic books. I didn’t mind, besides, I had a ton of things to do myself. I was casually minding my own business, looking for more clients when I got a phone call from the ambulance about my spouse.

“What is it?” - I asked, not knowing what would follow

“Your husband was in an accident. Your name is Frank Anthony Thomas Iero Jr, am I right?” - a man asks.

\- Yes, what’s wrong?

\- The tour bus got capsized due to a large bump on the road. Your husband is lucky to be alive, Mr Iero. He only has a concussion, but don’t worry, we’ll bring him home very soon.

\- Alright. What about the other passengers?

\- They’re dead. Including the driver. I’m sorry you had to hear it. Was there someone else in the bus that one of you knew personally?

\- No. Thank you for telling me. Goodbye.

\- Goodbye.

“Gerard, is everything alright?”- Chester asks, helping me stand up. - “You fainted.”

“Chester, I have some bad news for you and me. My husband died on that night.” - I say and then retell him everything my mind just went through.  
It feels like this is turning his world upside down. Including mine as well. The man still remembers leaving us a phone call on the day when we made it to Thailand. Everything seems so unreal. It’s like yesterday my spouse was making plans for our camping trip. But know I comprehend that it wasn’t him. The real Gerard Way died in the accident with everyone on that bus. It was the demon that survived. I still remember his smile, his large brown eyes. How he’d endlessly talk about music and comic books. How the both of us had bands of our own. I sincerely thought he survived that crash, even though I was told that survival was impossible. No one thought that it was suspicious of Gee to be alive and well. Though they should have. I remember how Chester got us acquainted…. I look at Bennington and I see him sobbing quietly…


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING: suicide is mentioned. This chapter is more disturbing that the previous ones. Please, do not read it if you suspect that it may trigger you.

I’ve never seen him like this. He seems totally broken. I feel the same way, but I try my best to conceal it. I guess, a part of me always knew that there was something odd about him being alive. So, I was prepared. But Bennington was too busy with rehearsals, so he didn’t have the time to talk to Gerard as much as I do. The moment we realized that my husband has passed away and the man we knew after the crash was never actually the guy we used to know before the honeymoon is the one that is crushing us at the moment. Chester takes off his rectangular-rimmed glasses and gets a handkerchief from his pocket. The man starts crying uncontrollably, sitting with his back crooked and his head in his hands. I guess a part of him thinks it was his fault, so I comfort him by saying that it wasn’t. That doesn’t stop him from mourning my spouse, who was also his best friend(alongside Mike Shinoda).

“I could’ve spoken to him more often, I could’ve taken a day off. I mean, I’m certain he missed me a lot. And I missed him, too. But me and my band were touring and rehearsing, so I couldn’t come. And now he’s gone and the only thing that reminds me of him is that bloodsucking abomination that possessed his body.” - he sighs, wiping the tears from his face.

“It’s not your fault. My husband adored you. He was glad to hear from you, anyway. Trust me, I’d know. I lived with him. There’s nothing you could’ve done.” - I reply, and then I notice that my voice begins to break as well.

I still remember that sweet face and the adorable person that he was. That messy black hair that framed his angular face, the kind brown eyes, emphasized by dark makeup.. The constant conversations we used to have about music, comic books, our every day life. Funny how even the most boring and common moments suddenly become so dear when that person dies. I’d give up anything for the chance to have one more day with my spouse. I’d give up anything to hear his voice, feel his hugs and sense the difference in our height.

Knowing that the topic of nostalgia and mourning is inevitable, I sit next to him and ask: “What are your memories about Gerard?” Chester looks at me, his eyes are red from the endless weeping and pain is written all over his face. He takes a deep breath, rests his hand on my shoulder and says: “Well, here goes.”

Chester.

I was at one of his concerts, being a huge fan of his band. He had an amazing voice and his screams were very emotional. Back then he stuck to the strong Japanese manga vibes, which was obvious in the blindingly bright outfit he and his bandmates had. Though I’ve been to plenty of concerts before and was a member of two other bands before my current one, Gerard had something about his singing that truly captivated me.

I had a ticket for a seat that was close to the stage. The guy’s dancing was filled with so much energy. He may not have had the skills, but the overwhelming emotions that he was sharing with the crowd pretty much compensated that. Suddenly, by the end of the performance, Way noticed me and felt like his breath was taken away.  
Gerard silently lead me outside. While I had no idea what his purpose was, I could tell that he was a fan of mine. However, I never seemed to understand why people would go crazy about me and my band. We were just a group of guys who worked on music, that’s all. Gerard took me backstage and anxiously blurted out: “I adore your band”. Though I was completely starstruck by what I heard, Way crossed his arms, nervously waiting for my response. And I sincerely said: “Your band is awesome, too. I’m a fan of it.” 

And that drove him completely insane. It was like this guy never thought that it could be possible. Gerard kept looking at me with such amazement, as if I were a fairytale creature that had just stepped out of the pages of a story book. We sat in front of each other, waiting for one of us to say a word. But we were just sitting in silence. I was talking to the frontman of my favorite band(Gee) and so was Gerard(talking to me). The man stretched out his hand, wanting me to shake it. So I did. He still kept looking at me as if I was a surreal miracle. Don’t be jealous, though. Gerard never liked me in a romantic way. I was one of the most amazing singers in his opinion and that was mutual.

All of a sudden, a man came up to Gerard and said: “Could you please explain to me why you’re so silent? It’s not like you saw..” And then he saw me. The guy looked a little bit like Gee, but was slightly different. His short blonde hair with dark roots was sleeked back, revealing his angular facial features and large brown eyes. I even had a feeling that this guy wanted to emphasize everything that nature gave him, for though he was dressed in black, his clothes were very tight. I look at him, then at Gerard and I started losing my mind due to their similarity. Though it was somewhat inappropriate of me to express in such a way, I exclaimed: “Holy shit! Is that your…”

“Brother?” - Gerard replied, finishing my sentence - “Yes. Chester, this is Mikey Way.”

Mikey shook my hand and smiled. He seemed a lot less uptight than your brother(no offense, Frank, I know that your husband was a very shy person in real life), so he had no interest in hiding his amazement. Mikey started talking about his plans for the band(and I was very excited to hear that, honest) and that helped Gerard open up and start talking to me as if I were his old friend. And that’s how we met.

Frank, dude, your husband was an amazing and a very talented young man. Though he’d still experience problems with being social, you could easily mention something related to his favorite topics and that would break the ice. Gerard Way also had an awesome and strong voice. I will never forget the day I met him. That smile and gaze, full of disbelief, that desire to speak, but lack of the ability to do so… Being a celebrity hadn’t influenced him at all. It goes without saying that Way was still the same guy next door, who was obsessed with comic books and music. Gerard was living his dream. And though his band broke up, he never gave up pursuing happiness. Way still looked for other happy things in life and ended up finding them. And then, he found you. Well, actually, I got you acquainted, and I gotta say that this was one of the best days of my life. I gave him a new ray of light and you were that ray to him. I’m truly sorry for your loss.

Frank.

“Can we please not talk about the day we met? I know this day meant a lot to you, but the memories are cutting me like a knife even now.” - I say, teary eyed from Chester’s story about my spouse.

“As you wish.” - he calmly says, hugging me in his good old heartfelt way. - “I didn’t mean to make you upset or anything. I miss him, too.”

You may assume that a hug is nothing. Just a classic gesture of friendship, amiability and support. But Chester’s hugs are MORE than that. I instantly start feeling relaxed, like I’m supported. As if that one split second deprived me of my issues. Or at least made the pain weaker. Though tears start rolling down my cheeks against my will, I’m not ashamed or burdened by that.

“I’ll help you get through this. I promise.” - the man whispers, giving me a handkerchief so that I could wipe my tears. - “I’ll do whatever it takes to make you feel better. That’s what he would’ve wanted.”

I nod and then ask Bennington not to talk about it for now. Though I sort made the first step to accept my spouse’s death, it’s still painful. My mind pictures his face again and again, as if it wants to hurt me even more than it did before. I start hearing Gerard’s calm voice, his laughter, every single moment we’ve had together. 

From the day Chaz got us acquainted to the night we spent with each other before the godawful morning Gee departed to have some alone time and never came back. Well, he did, but that wasn’t the real Way anymore. A demon came back, taking over his body that was supposed to be laid to rest. I have to note, it will be very hard for me to cope with seeing Gerard, but knowing it’s not him anymore.

Questions start burning through my head. How do I defeat that thing? Is it even possible? What will happen to either of us(Chester or me) if it attacks us? Will we die? What will it do to Talinda and her baby? And then, the most important and the scariest question pops into my mind. Will I have the guts to kill that demon, knowing that he’s in my husband’s body? Or will it kill ME first before I even make an attempt to do so? I fear that I just won’t be able to lay a hand on him, because I’ll naively assume it’s Gerard and give up on that action. Or that thing will play a trick on me, knowing that my feelings for him are still strong.

Human emotions will be the death of me, I guess. I’m certain that the Krasue will outsmart me, no doubt about it. And I’ll fall into its trap, like a mouse. And the looks of Gerard will be the cheese in the mousetrap. And I don’t know how my friend will cope after losing me as well. Does it kill men? Mike said that it kills pregnant women and children, but this thing in Gerard’s body undeniably had some plans for us. And keeping us alive wasn’t one of them. There was something threatening in its motive. In its every peek, every movement of its face.

My musings are paused when I hear Chester yell: “FRANK, GET OVER HERE NOW! YOU’RE NOT GONNA LIKE THIS! OH, MY GOD! I CAN’T BELIEVE IT!”

I follow the sound of Chester’s voice and instantly wish I didn’t do it. Because I saw a dead body. And this was no ordinary death. It wasn’t a direct victim of the Krasue, but the existence of that monster has had its impact on the person’s life. It comes to show how despair can push you past the breaking point and you see nothing but the end of the world you live in. Once again, I stand face to face with the fragility of human life. She was pregnant, but it goes without saying that both of them are already dead and there’s no saving them. I may never be able to fully understand or grasp it, but it must be ominous when such a beautiful event as having a new life forming inside you puts the both of you at risk of being brutally slaughtered by a self-decapitating monster. Although, logically, one could think of other ways of getting out of this situation, all of us are only human. And we have feelings, too. And sometimes, those sentiments can make us take our own lives, even though, deep down, we actually wanted to live. 

I calmly lay the body on the ground and dial 911. The call is followed by mayhem. Bennington and I step away, not wanting to disturb the cops and doctors chaotically running around the area where a woman died by suicide. They calmly put her body into a bag and placed her inside the back of the ambulance car. I suspect that this isn’t the first time they come across such a death and I have a strong feeling that I’m not wrong. And this disturbs my peace and sense of sanity.

The silence is interrupted by the chief of police approaching us and asking questions about the woman. The questions are casual as hell for such a situation, but I hate how the cop talks about it so carelessly, as if a worm or rat was killed instead of a human being. I decide to answer the questions instead of Chester, knowing that this sight is even more unsettling for him than it is for me. Although I truly didn’t know that woman and never will… Although my answers wouldn’t help much with the investigation, I want to assume that this would trigger some progress.

The cop is calmly taking some notes on his touchpad. I get the sensation that it’s not the first time they came across such a case and I am almost certain that I’m right. And the slow realization is making my stomach twist. What can they do, though? This thing will slaughter them and then continue devouring pregnant women and innocent children the same way it is now. And if even the cops can’t handle this monster, I have no clue what we’ll do.

The cars rush away in the blink of an eye and the cop is too caught up in his business to say “thank you” or bid a farewell. The means of the woman’s death were taken away for forensic experts to take care of. Though now everything looks the same as it did before we saw her, I can’t get a rid of the chill that is starting to run down my spine. I guess that’s what they mean by “the breath of death”. Things will never be the same, no matter how many suicides and child deaths will be covered up.

“Frank, get over here!” - Chester yells from a distance. I follow the sound of my friend’s voice and I can’t believe my eyes. Gerard is resting on a large oak tree, as if nothing happened. Having heard us, he wakes up and casually asks: “What did I miss? Is everything alright?” We keep our cool, so that he wouldn’t suspect a thing, but then Chester takes Gerard’s handkerchief that seems to be stained by dry blood, while Way isn’t looking…


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning:  
> Lots of gore, for the transformation is described in this chapter. Please, don't read it if it's too disturbing

Frank.

Chester and I made a deal to watch Gerard together. Dealing with him solo would literally mean the death of either of us. We’re in Way’s room. Though it’s a serious invasion of privacy, Gerard doesn’t seem to care or be bothered by it. Bennington looks around the room and sighs nostalgically at the sight of my spouse’s manga collection. It seems like everything related to that sort of art would remind Bennington of the day they first met. When the real Gerard was still alive and well. Gerard is calmly browsing through some of his comic books with headphones on. He’s bobbing his head, so it doesn’t look like he would be able to hear me and Chaz talking.

Not knowing if it’s a brave or a stupid move, I call out my friend’s name and lead him outside. The man runs his fingers through his spiky blonde hair, already considering that we may have some brainstorming to do. He looks at me attentively, getting ready to hear whatever I may have in mind.

“So, what did you want to discuss this time?” - Bennington asks, fixing his rectangle-rimmed glasses. - “Of course, I know that we’re talking about Gerard, but do you have any plans for him?”

“I just had a thought… What if it’s more like a werewolf thing? What if when this dude is human, he has no recollection of the events he causes every night when he… you know, doesn’t seem to have a body..” - I muse on, hoping he’d follow my train of thought.

Chester sighs and puts his hand on my shoulder as a sign of condolence. The left sleeve seems to be rolled up by that move, so I can see his flame tattoo very clearly. 

He looks away and then says: “I miss him, too. A lot. But this is not Gerard anymore. You know that. I know that. Let’s just find out what Mike has to say on the case and then start coming up with a plan.”

“As you wish.” - I sigh, sort of feeling doomed, as if I was the one who would be killed. - “It’s a shame that things have to end like that.”

\- Agreed. I just called Mike. He’ll be there soon.

As expected, Shinoda shows up faster than the speed of light. He uses the doorbell and asks for permission to come in. So I come to the door and say: “Yes, you may.” 

I open the door for him and then notice Talinda standing behind him. I guess Mike is like her bodyguard, since Chester has to stay and watch Gerard with me.  
Mike happens to be the same guy that I saw when we first met: a young dude in his mid-twenties with messy spiky short black hair, large and innocent dark brown eyes and a very friendly smile. Though a lot of people would normally be ill at ease at the sight of someone in baggy clothes and a baseball cap, in Shinoda’s case, it kinda makes him look even more down to earth and and friendly than a suit or a shirt with pants ever would.

At the sight of his wife, I see how Chester’s alerted expression changes into an ecstatic kind of peacefulness. As if it’s just him and her and no one else. Like no one in this world would show up to ruin all of that. No pain, no fear, no danger. Nothing. Just happiness and love. He comes to her and gently embraces her and kisses her on the lips. Reminds me of the moments Gerard and I had together. Long before this damn vacation even happened.

But then Bennington notices the blatantly obvious signs of his wife’s pregnancy and he becomes concerned again. We go to the dining room to have a chat.

It’s large enough to throw a party, but the combination of various shades of gray and white make it look more like a conference room. Funny thing is, that sort of matches the mood of our current conversation. A large oval table is in the center of the room, surrounded by rectangle-shaped chairs, giving out a futuristic vibe. The walls are white, decorated by dark gray wallpaper with white diagonal stripes in the middle of the walls. Miniature trees decorate the corners, and there are doors leading to the living room, my room and the kitchen. This place is excellent for our current conversation, because Gerard’s room is upstairs(we’re downstairs at the moment), so he won’t be able to hear us.

“Tell us, Mike, what did you find out?” - Chester asks, crossing his fingers, patiently waiting for an answer. The sleeves of Bennington’s beige-and-white plaided flannel are rolled up, and I can clearly see his flame tattoos on his wrists and a sport-themed watch on his left one. From time to time, he fixes his glasses, subconsciously revealing his fear for his spouse’s life. The shirt is unbuttoned, so I can see a V-neck t-shirt with a skull on it. And I also noticed a tattoo with Chester’s and Talinda’s initials below his collarbone.

“Well, this thing is not invincible, and I’m happy to say that.” - Shinoda replies, quietly laughing to ease the tension. We all cautiously look at him, wanting to know the answer. Especially me, because I was starting to lose hope. Mike itches his head, thinking of a proper way to say it..

“You see, you need to find the body and burn it. Then, the demon will die in agonizing pain by sunrise. However, there are some things you need to be cautious about. First: if that thing bites you and you survive, don’t assume that you’ll make it to old age. You’ll get sick and die. Second, prepare some barbed wires and sharp objects, because those monsters loathe them. It’s better if we stick together, for it clearly won’t be able to deal with an armed crowd.”

“That sounds good, I suppose.” - Chester says, stretching and flexing his arms. - “But did you come up with a plan?”

\- Sure thing. Anyway, first of all, Gerard needs to be unaware of what we’re planning to do. Second, we must never part ways and always be armed. Third, we must never let that thing get near us or let it come to us at arms reach. We know what will happen if it does. Frank, you said that this thing didn’t touch you and Chaz during the two encounters. Do you think that it’s not planning to attack you or do you believe that it’s just looking for the right moment?  
I am in complete disarray. This is NOT what I wanted to even think of. However, such an outcome DID cross my mind and it’s very scary. The way the Krasue looked at me and Chester… While it was clear that it had no thoughts of killing us during the night the both of us first saw it, it had a sinister expression. The kind that serial killers make in horror movies before they take out a knife and stab you in the heart or in the throat. Yes, it did leave us alone. Twice. But the last time we encountered it, the monster showed us all of its potential and strength. And it was the scariest thing ever. Most enemies either use their limbs or harmful objects to hurt or kill.   
This demon doesn’t seem to need either of that. The Krasue has insane speed and dagger-like tusks that can easily bite through any tendon, any vein, any artery, any muscle. Basically, almost everything.

The sun is starting to set, so I decide to check up on Gerard. My inner voice is telling me not to do it, but my concern seems to outweigh my intuition. I haven’t heard a word from him today and it’s too unsettling. It turns out to be one of my biggest mistakes.

I go upstairs, coming closer and closer to a black door, the one that leads to Way’s room. I knock on it once. No answer. I do it again. Still no response. The third time is my last. Still nothing. I figure that I just can’t wait for him forever, so I ignore the fact that I’m about to violate my husband’s privacy and slowly open the door. I decide not to leave it wide open, so I leave a narrow gap, which is somewhat wide enough for me to peek through. And what I see later makes my stomach twist.  
Gerard is sound asleep with his eyes closed, but not for long. He slowly gets up, turns around as if he hears something. Then, his body starts shaking, as if he’s having a seizure. I hear moaning coming out of Way’s room and my heart begins to race. A part of me wants to help him, but the other suspects that I’ll end up killing myself by coming in. I choose to obey the latter, for it seems right for me at the moment. Then, he falls on his bed rapidly, as if he got shot. Gerard is lying on the bed without any signs of life at all. But then, the guy begins to stretch his arms and legs, but specifically, his neck. Blood starts coming out of his throat, as if someone slit it. Slowly, but surely, I begin to see his trachea. I hope that it’s just a glitch or a nightmare, so I close my eyes for the time being to open them again. But after opening them, I still see the same picture, but it continues to progress. And it’s even more disgusting than what I saw during the first few minutes. I start seeing his lungs, filled with blood and his heart, pumping blood into the vital organs. But as soon as I catch a glimpse of his digestive tract, I look away. I feel nauseated by   
what I just saw, so I just run downstairs. While running, I make a huge mistake by leaving the door wide open.

The monster follows me and starts to moan. Everything around me is shaking, so I keep running without looking back. The moaning sounds like melodious singing for some reason and that makes me feel even more freaked out. I see an open door with barbed wires around its frame. And Mike, actively waving at me, asking me to come in. I run inside, though, for a split second, I could hear the Krasue’s breath and feel it on my neck.

Shinoda instantly locks the door and I jump back, fearing that it may still come for me or any one of us. Thankfully, Chester pats my back and comforts me by saying that barbed wires and sharp objects repel those monsters. This gives me some comfort, but then, the Krasue begins to moan again, making the whole living room shake. On top of that, the sun sets and the moon appears on the horizon.

Mike and Chester instantly take flashlights out of their pockets and turn them on. The moonlight helps me see the silhouettes of their bodies, but I can’t see their faces very clearly. Same applies to Talinda. The room is still shaking and the Krasue is moaning and wailing with that gut wrenching and mesmerizing high-pitched voice. It does sound very melodious, but considering WHO makes that sort of “singing” makes me wish I’d never hear that voice again. It sounds clear, like singing in a church or onstage. It happens to be a mix of a high-pitched tone and Gerard’s actual voice. Though the latter is hard to distinguish through the tone and the pitch, I can still hear certain traits that belong specifically to my spouse and not someone else. It is unclear what is making everything in the room shake: the voice or the sole presence of that monster, but I feel like it’s a little bit of both at the same time.

“OK, I’m going to check up on everyone, alright?” - says Mike, as I start feeling someone’s back against mine. - “Sorry about it…Err… Frank”

He mentions my name and I state that I am present. The same goes to Chester and Talinda. Then, we look for chairs to sit on. Because our legs are starting to feel kind of crampy. Mine are for certain. We get lucky, so we sit by some kind of a counter. Though we could barely see each other, we needed to be sure that everyone was at least close to being safe.

“So, Mike, what do you think we should do?” - Talinda asks, and I somehow see her put her hand on her husband’s. He feels comforted by that gesture, so he calmly exhales with relief.

“OK, I think we should stay here for the rest of the night. Don’t worry, I locked all of the doors and windows, so that thing won’t attack anyone. I hope it won’t make it to the nursery, but of one thing I am sure: it won’t go anywhere near us. It hates barbed wires and sharp objects. But, like I said before, we shouldn’t try to attack it. It’s way too fast.” - he replies, and every word he says about the Krasue scares me shitless more and more.

“I can confirm that.” - I confess, raising my hand. - “I saw Gerard become… That thing. It was the most disgusting and repulsive sight ever. What makes it worse is that I left the door open and it started…chasing me… Thankfully, you came around and locked the door.”

Mike doesn’t seem pleased by what I said, but I didn’t have a choice. He’s mad at me for opening the door to Gerard’s room. Looking back, I realize that I somehow managed to break into Gee’s room. Then, he sighs, saying that he locked the windows in Way’s room as well.  
We hear glass cracking and a dog barking. Judging by it’s low voice, it must be some kind of a large guard dog. Alas, no animal is a match to this monster, so the Krasue flies away and attacks it, dissecting the dog’s body. The last thing we hear that night is the dog’s last cry for help and the Krasue’s ecstatic exhales. Then, the sun rises and we don’t hear anything.. For now….


	8. Chapter 8

Chester.  
Frank is asleep. I can’t wake him up. Not after what he saw. His spouse turned into a monster as soon as the sun set. And on top of that, the monster is very gorey. Mike is cautiously watching my wife, but he can barely stay awake. We didn’t sleep all night. Talinda is sleeping peacefully. Once again, I’m captivated by the calm vibe that’s coming from her. Though she’s the one who’s in danger and is literally the first one on the Krasue’s list, she isn’t caught up in fear or panic. My spouse seems to be a lot more optimistic than all of us combined. Mike’s attitude is somewhere in the middle between pessimism and realism. After seeing that demon twice, I realized that I would never be in the right shape to do some proper research. Frank wouldn’t have been able to do it either, for this thing is inside Gerard’s body. My wife would’ve also been unfit for doing the research. This monster is AFTER her.

I hear some calm moaning and I can see Frank stretching. The sun begins to rise and its light spreads across the room through the gaps of the pieces of wood that cover the windows. Mike put them up last night.

I look at Frank and his tattoos catch my eye. He seems to have way more of them than I do. Once he told me that he had a tattoo on his scalp. Though it’s hard to tell due to the fact that the right side of his head that was usually buzzed and bleached out, I have a strong feeling that it’s true. Funny how every time I look at him, I still   
see that feisty guitarist/vocalist with lots of red eyeshadow, dressed in black, red and white.

The man is sleeping peacefully with his head on his palms, as if there’s no danger at all. It’s amazing how sleeping helps you temporarily forget about all of your problems and you’re just at peace. Peace and quiet is what we need at this moment, but it feels like an unaffordable luxury with Gerard becoming a bodyless demon every night, slaughtering innocent women and babies.

And now my wife’s life is at stake and I have no idea what I’d do if I had to face that thing. How could I possibly kill it if it can attack me faster than one’s blink of an eye? I saw it disembowel a cat and I don’t want to even imagine what it could do to me or someone else. I remember the way the Krasue looked at me during those encounters. And I’m talking about not only the sinister gaze, like it had something planned. The monster sees it all as an entertaining game. And now that there’s a   
small crowd of us, it is even more intrigued. It’s like a gamer who just got into “nightmare mode” in a horror game.

But the only issue is that this thing is almost invincible and we can be slaughtered instantly. While it is believed that it hunts only on women and babies, I don’t want to take any chances and assume that Frank, Mike and I are not risking their lives the same way Talinda is.

I stretch and then go to the kitchen to make some breakfast, but then I hear Frank yawning and see him open his eyes. “Did I wake you up?” - I ask, as I open the refrigerator to fetch some eggs and a few slices of bacon.

“No, Chaz, you didn’t. In fact, I couldn’t sleep at all last night.” - Iero admits, stretching his arms.

\- Figures. That thing’s on your mind, too, am I right?

\- Not quite. I thought of the day you got us acquainted.

Once again, Frank’s memories make me wish everything was back to normal.

Back then, I knew both Frank and Gerard personally. Though I’ve known them for years by that time, it felt unusual to see them on the same concert. I used to have very odd tastes in style, but now I’ve become more mature, in my opinion. However, I still don’t regret that red mohawk that I had back in the days. 

Our band was invited to participate at a rock festival, so we used that opportunity with great pleasure. Suddenly, while I was hugging and shaking hands with some of our fans, I noticed Gerard and Frank in the crowd. They were a few rows from each other, but something made me want to get them acquainted. 

And I got this opportunity. Gerard came up to me and congratulated me with the ovations the band and I got on that festival. We went outside of the territory of the festival to enjoy the view. Frank was just leaving, though, he seemed lost in some way. As if he was looking for something or someone, but couldn’t find it. The guy was looking around and then he saw me. We greeted each other and then, just as he was about to leave, I introduced him to Gerard and asked Iero to stay with us.

Content with the offer, he smiled and followed us to a nearby cafe. The sun was incredibly bright, giving some bushes on the corners of the fence a yellowish-emerald hue. The dark brown walls looked harmonious with the light red curtains and the maroon door. The building itself wasn’t very big, but I guess that worked to its advantage. People were talking about neutral or pleasant topics, which added up to the overall peacefullness and positivity of the cafe. We ordered some cake so that things wouldn’t seem so tense. 

Suddenly, Gerard started shyly looking away and Frank started making incredibly awkward gestures. It wasn’t a bad sign, but I had a strong feeling that things would be more than OK between them. I didn’t understand why, but, suddenly, Iero stretched out his hand, wanting to hold Way’s. But he accidentally flipped the cup of coffee he was drinking earlier. A waitress instantly came to us and wanted to clean up after him. Frank, however, insisted that he’d take care of it himself. She blushed and thanked him for his kindness. Then, the young woman looked at him and Gerard and spoke out with a vague accent: “You two are a nice couple. I wish you the best.” Way spat his tea out and he widened his brown eyes in amazement. Frank didn’t mind, but Gerard was so ill at ease, it was almost as if the waitress had read his diary out loud for everyone to hear. Then she looked at me and said: “You don’t need to tell me anything. I know you got them acquainted.” I shrugged my shoulders and admitted it, being as honest as I could be.

Frank ends up being teary-eyed after hearing my memories of the day I got the both of them acquainted. Everything in his expression and gestures shows how much he wants to go back to those days. Iero looks away, as if he doesn’t want to show his weaknesses in front of anyone. I even start feeling guilty about starting the topic in the first place. He notices my shame, so Frank says: “It’s not you, it’s me. I just wish we hadn’t gone on that fucking honeymoon. We could’ve stayed at home and nothing would’ve happened.”

“It’s not your fault, dude.” - I say and hug him. Iero instantly stops crying, as if one simple gesture took all of his worries away. People say that I tend to have incredibly heartwarming hugs. I can’t say if I agree with that opinion, but I guess I’ll take them by their word. He looks at me with those large puppy-like brown eyes and sighs deeply. I can tell that he still misses Gerard a lot. Sadly, the man that lives in his house is just a demon that possessed his body. The real Way died in a car crash during his honeymoon.

“Would you have gotten us acquainted, if you knew that things would turn out to be this way?” - Frank asks, looking right into my eyes. That question catches me off guard, but it seems fair of him to ask such a thing. Instead of musing for a few minutes, I decide to blurt out what I think on the case and the aftermath.

“No, I don’t. I’m glad you had an amazing time together. It’s a shame that Gerard’s life ended so rapidly. One could only imagine the anniversaries they could’ve had. 

He would excitedly tell me about his plans for the future, how he wanted to have kids with Frank and celebrate more and more anniversaries. Sadly, they’ve been together for only 5 years, and married for less than half a year. A thought pops into my head, as if my mind wants to make things worse. “Talinda and I will have a future and Gerard and Frank won’t.” 

Somehow, Frank manages to figure out the depressing thought and he calms me down, saying that things will be amazing between me and her. “She will survive. We won’t let that thing kill her, don’t worry.” Then, the guy says something that makes me lose my shit completely: “I’d cover for her, even if I’ll end up being   
dismembered or disemboweled by that thing. It’s the least I can do.”

“Don’t you dare say such things! I know you’re grieving. So am I. But, please, don’t back down. Everything will be fine.” - I say, barely believing my own words at this point. That doesn’t seem to calm Iero down, so he asks: “What if he’ll choose YOU instead?”

I drop my cup of tea and stare at him, as if he said he was the Krasue. That theory may have been on my mind from time to time, but that thing hunts after pregnant women and newborn babies, so I didn’t feel endangered. However, the way the Krasue was staring at us during those two encounters was more than just ominous. It felt so scary that no words would be enough to describe that. 

“We’re dead meat. I can feel that this thing won’t be satisfied with just one person.” - Frank mutters, looking around in paranoid fear. I try to hug him again or say something comforting, but he doesn’t let me. 

Mike comes over to us and asks: “Is everything alright? You guys seem stressed.” Frank instantly starts making excuses, but I tell it all right off the bat. Shinoda nods and says: “I understand. Frank, I’m truly sorry for your loss. But he’s not coming back and you know it.” Iero seems offended by what he hears, so he starts quarreling with him. My bandmate and best friend is trying his hardest to stay calm, though I can tell that all of the offensive shit Frank spits out along the way is beginning to get on his nerves. Then, Shinoda completely loses it and says: “Technically, it IS your fault. You know that car crashes are quite common there like they are in a lot of cities in the US.” 

My jaw drops. I didn’t expect him to say such a hurtful thing. Mike is always the calm and the adequate one, as opposed to me, the emotional peacemaker who cares too much. I try to calm them down and fix this mess, but neither Frank, nor Mike want to hear a word from me. In response to my pleas to sort this out, they just indifferently tell me to mind my own business. Mike leaves, wanting to check up on my wife.

I am torn apart between the two of them. I don’t want to make things look like I’m on anybody’s side. I just want everyone to be emotionally stable, so that we could slaughter that demon. I’m team Switzerland, but neither of the following options seem right: leave, come to Mike, stay with Frank. I’ll screw things up no matter what   
I’ll do in this case. Good thing it’s not my fault they started arguing in the first place… Or is it?

I don’t want to say a word to anyone of them. Things are already messed up. I guess the severity of the situation is driving them insane. To be honest, I feel that way, too. I try my hardest not to think about it, but even the slightest thought of my wife being killed by that monster is beyond gutwrenching. Funny how I currently seem to be the most calm one and the one in the right state of mind, when it’s usually the other way around. But our group is falling apart, so this may threaten the safety of all of our lives.

I look at Frank and get strong vibes of rage. If looks could kill, he’d have slaughtered everyone without thinking twice. He seems fed up with the whole situation and the tension that’s been going on for months. It won’t go away unless the Krasue is dead, but now that we’re on the verge of breaking up(no one will break up with me, but I sure as fuck will have to walk on thin ice by keeping in touch with the both of them). And the Krasue is scared of crowds, not “lone wolves”.

I hear footsteps from the second floor. As I’m about to calm down and assume that Mike is now finally in the right state of mind, the moment I see that person’s face, I realize that he won’t be coming downstairs any time soon.

“Chester? What are you doing here? What’s Mike doing in my room?” - Gerard asks…


	9. Chapter 9

Frank.

Is the universe trying to fuck with us or what? I got into a fight with Chester’s best friend and bandmate, Gerard is back(or, if to be specific, the demon that possessed his restless body) and will be perfectly aware of everything we say or do. He’ll be around most of the time(except for nighttime, which is when he feeds) and we need to make him think like everything is normal, so that this demon wouldn’t suspect a thing.

Gerard is still waiting for an answer, so Chester feels quite anxious. Knowing the severity of the whole situation, he’s trying to come up with an answer that wouldn’t raise any suspicions. He itches his head and after a few stressful moments of musing on an answer, he says that he wanted to check up on Frank. Then, Bennington watches Way, waiting for his response. In my opinion, this was the dumbest response ever, because it sounded out of place and too weird to fall for it. But my spouse looks at me and then says: “Figures. He does look kind of disturbed. No offense, Frankie.”

My heart sinks. That motherfucker dares to call me the same way Gerard used to call me in an endearing way. I’m amazed this thing even KNOWS it, not to mention the fact that it used it against me. To my fortune, my anger doesn’t look odd to him at all. He thinks that I’m just having a bad day, so he lets it slide.  
Surprisingly, though Chester is the emotional one(just like me), he manages to act calm and to be as neutral as possible. Knowing Gerard’s interests, he instantly offers the Krasue to talk about music(wanting to draw his attention away from the conspiracy we’re planning). Surprisingly, Way manages to talk about it just like the expert the real Gerard was. They are now talking about various bands and concerts they would like to see. Chester mentions Stone Temple Pilots, which is quite predictable of him, for I know that he has quite the admiration for the band. And Gerard mentioned Mindless Self Indulgence. He used to be close friends with the bassist of the band, but their friendship didn’t survive the distance issue, which is funny, because we have the same issue with Chester’s band and we’re still close.  
Bennington winks his eye, trying to tell me that I should be wary of his behavior, gestures, way of talking, and other things. The Krasue acts an awful lot like the real Gerard, which even makes me wanna kiss him. But then, a picture of the demon having blood dripping from his mouth flashes before my eyes and my stomach starts twisting. What makes it worse is that I have to keep a straight face, for not only is Chester watching the Krasue, but so is the Krasue watching US. 

I have to give this monster some credit, though. It is an excellent actor, almost having me believe that it’s the real Gerard. He’s better at staying quiet and drawing as little attention to its traits as possible. It’s like this demon REMEMBERS what Gerard was like and how he acted, how he talked, how he walked… Just everything. And just in the span of a few hours this very thing will detach its own head and fly around the city, hunting for pregnant women and innocent children. But then something dawns on me.

Not long before Gerard vanished, he called in sick, so I’d get calls regarding his health. Of course, I had to act the same way I would’ve if it were true. I’d constantly tell them about his state so that I could later kill the Krasue without people knowing that this demon is in Gerard’s body. While this may be useless, for the cops are looking for someone they believe is human, no one knows that a supernatural monster has anything to do with it. Nor does anyone know that this monster possessed my husband’s body.

For some godforsaken purpose, Gerard decides to go upstairs to find Mike. I’m mildly worried about Shinoda, since the sun is still up and he is well aware what the Krasue is capable of. I come to the staircase, waiting for the outcome. Deep down, I have the urge to overhear their conversation, but that would draw way too much attention to me, so I just stay where I am, hearing muffled voices coming out of Gerard’s room.

Silence. I can’t hear a thing, except for the wind blowing from one of the windows Mike has opened for the daytime and the leaves of miniature trees located on my left twirling quietly. I look at the living room and I see Chester sitting quietly by the table. As I’m about to say something, he puts his finger to his lower lip, telling me to be quiet, and mouths: “Turn around.”

Mike and Gerard come downstairs, as if nothing happened. I have no idea what they were talking about, but Shinoda seems like he’s back to being chill with me. “I’m sorry, Mike.” - I say, fully comprehending my fault in the dispute. Chester’s bandmate brushes it off, saying that he had a rough day. Which is a lie, because he knows that the Krasue is listening to our conversation. But I can tell that he’s calm and not mad at me, which is, without a doubt, true.

Then, Krasue-Gerard looks at me and says: “Listen, I’ll need to go to work today, if you don’t mind. It feels like I’ve been absent for ages. They must have been worried sick about me. I can’t have that.” Deep down, I want to stop him from going there. But my rational side is telling me that any attempts to abrupt the monster’s one-man performance will cause plenty of suspicions and I’ll fuck up all of our plans.

Without saying a word, I nod, watching Way come to the door and go outside, closing it. “Be quiet, Frank.” - Mike whispers. And so the four of us(I later notice that   
Talinda is sitting next to her husband) are as silent as a bunch of inanimate objects. I hear footsteps from outside of the house getting quieter and quieter. Finally, we don’t hear a thing anymore, so all of us synchronically sigh with relief.

“Nice work, Frank.” - Shinoda says. - “You were holding on quite steadily, considering that this person is not your husband anymore. I’m sorry, but this is the truth.”

Surprisingly, I’m not mad at him. But Chester still stands up for me, saying that it was insensitive of Shinoda to say this. He nods in agreement, but then says that he has to be the rational one. I expect Chester to feel attacked, but it’s almost as if he didn’t hear his best friend say that.

“Well, you know what they say. I care too much, I admit.” - he replies, shrugging his shoulders.

I nod in agreement, reluctantly pointing out that I’m also quite emotional for someone who may have a vague notion of rationality. They say that emotions and reason contradict. I guess I am one enormous contradiction in that case. Sincere and open-minded, extroverted, you name it. And, yes, I ended up being a part of the “tattoed rocker” cliche. The only thing missing for me to live up to the image is a couple of piercings on my face.

The sun begins to set and I sigh. This bastard must be feeding on women and children by now and there’s nothing I can do about it, for we can’t leave Talinda all by herself. So, whether I like it or not, I’m the Krasue’s reluctant partner in crime. I hear birds quietly chirp, as the wind whistles for a while and then stops. I’m too scared to look out the window, but, thankfully, Mike has it covered: he’s closing them with wooden boards. I stand in front of the door that leads to the outdoors, anxiously waiting for what will happen. Shiver runs down my spine, and to make matters worse, everything is silent now. On top of that, my brain thought that it would be a great idea to picture HOW the Krasue feeds on pregnant women and infants. I see lots of blood in my visions and the victims’ vital organs being spat out after that thing sucked the last drops of blood out of them. I picture their vain attempts of fighting, screaming and then their last heartbeats. Then, I get a vision of Krasue-Gerard feeling ecstatic after feeding and I feel like my stomach is about to twist.

I hear footsteps become louder and louder and then, the doorknob being turned. I take a deep breath, not feeling ready for the outcome. 

Gerard comes back, as fresh as a college student with a radiant smile on his face. His mouth isn’t covered in blood, which is good news. On the other hand, he could’ve wiped it on the way back. How do I know he didn’t feed? The guy feels incredibly relaxed, giving me heartwrenching memories of my currently deceased spouse. Gerard would act like that when he’d be at his best. Or at least when he’d feel like he was the happiest person ever. The man smiles, revealing that his teeth aren’t stained by blood either. I still have suspicions, although, Mike said that they change back only by dawn. And it’s late in the evening now.

“What happened, Gerard?” - I ask, desperately trying to hide the terror in my eyes and gestures and attempting to act as casual as possible.

“I quit this job. It’s not for me.” - he replies with a monotonous voice. It’s so lifeless, that I can tell that he’s lying. Or maybe he WANTS me to know I’m lying so that he’d screw me over later. Seems like a legit theory, for I can expect anything from him. The same applies to the rest of us, in fact.

Is the Krasue aware of what we’re plotting? Does it know what’s going to happen? Or does it assume that it’s totally invincible and immortal? What if it can read minds? Well, fuck, if the latter is true, I guess I ought to keep my mouth and my mind silent. Fearing that I may trigger confusions and questions, I try to think of various irrelevant things like cats, music or comic books. It doesn’t work. I end up reminding myself of Gerard and I feel like my heart is gonna bleed out.  
I look around and find out that Mike, Chester and Talinda are not here. Are they hiding? Now I’m getting goosebumps at the sole thought of the motives they could’ve had. Did they go away for good? Well, I guess they’re safe, since Mike literally turned into a human version of a vampire encyclopedia. He’ll be able to protect them. As for myself, I presume I should’ve thought of moving out of my house. Too bad I wasn’t smart enough to do so. Or, in order to be specific, I didn’t have the guts to do so.

“My, I didn’t notice Chester, Talinda and Mike left.” - Krasue-Gerard says, looking around the house as if it’s the first time he’s here.

Don’t act stupid in front of me, Gerard. We both know you’re plotting something, you vicious, heartless motherfucker. Just spit it out and don’t play coy with me. I know shit’s about to go haywire. So do you. So do me a favor and be more specific.

“It’s a crying shame they left so soon. I wanted to spend some time with them. After all, they were busy touring when we had our honeymoon. I wanted to know more about Talinda, about her future baby.” - Way sighs, and I see an ominous spark in his eyes after he said the word “baby”.

That thing knows what it’s doing, I oughta give him some credit for it. He’s using my memories of the times Gerard and I had together against me, so that I could be weakened, lose my grip and my sense of rationality. I believe it’s exactly the kind of thing any antagonist would do, am I right? 

The Krasue is looking around the room as if he knows where they are. Now I’m feeling very unsettled. Are they hiding? Are they planning an attack? I sincerely hope it’s the latter, for I certainly don’t feel safe when I’m left alone with that thing one on one. I look around, forgetting that I should act normal in front of him, expecting to find a weapon or something to defend myself with. Ironically, Gerard doesn’t notice that I’m desperately searching for means of self-defense. Or is he pretending?

“Gerard! You’re here! Any news?” - Chester asks, putting a fake smile on his face, while on the inside he clearly felt like slashing the Krasue’s throat if he had the chance.

“I quit my job.” - Gerard replies with the same old monotonous voice. 

Everything about Krasue-Gerard is starting to piss me off. Every breath it takes, every move, every word, you name it. I feel hurt over the fact that my husband can’t be laid to rest and be left alone. His body just HAD to be possessed by a soulless monster that represented everything he was opposed to.

Thankfully, I don’t have to wait for too long. The monster goes upstairs, claiming that he wants to take a nap. Mike and Talinda show up, and then we look at each other, whispering: “We all know what’s really going to happen. Let’s defend ourselves and fight to our deaths if we’ll have to.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The dream is described in the first chapter, aka, the prologue

Frank.

“RUN, FRANK, RUN” - my gut says, as I begin hyperventilating at hearing the echo of moans and singing. Krasue Gerard has turned and it’s time for me to make a run for it. I search in my pockets for something that could be used as a weapon. The only things I find are a cellphone and a pocket knife. A pocket knife? Seriously? Getting so close to the monster would be suicide. Considering how swift that thing is, I wouldn’t have had the time to make the first cut. I lift up a carpet that was recently put in the living room and I see a door that leads to the basement. The moaning gets louder, but I lock myself up down there just in time.

The creepiest thing about the Krasue is not the gore-filled sights it causes, not the moaning that echoes all over the place, not even the fact that it can bite through your throat in a split second. It’s the speed. It’s the way it moves. It may moan, but the sound is so vague, that you are not sure where it is. But if it’s close to you, you’re dead meat.

I can barely see a thing, but everything is shaking, so the monster is close. I hear the furniture and dishes rattle. Although it knows I won’t answer, it calls for me with that creepy, cold echoing voice that sounds like a siren’s call: “Frankie! Where are you?” Curse that motherfucking demon. It still keeps on using the nickname Gerard used to give me. 

Something tells me that it’s right above me at the moment. So I freeze and hold my breath, assuming that this thing may have a heightened sense of hearing. To my misfortune, the basement is filled with despicably unpleasant smells. Which is not surprising, considering Gerard and I would store the things we didn’t need anymore. If things weren’t so awful at the moment, I’d have been happy to look around. Or not. There are so many old things that I’m amazed that there are no rats here.

I assume I spoke too soon. I feel something crawling on my left leg. I can’t move, for I’m afraid that the Krasue will hear me. It’s clearly not an animal, for it doesn’t make a sound. I move my hand to my leg and feel something smooth. Of course, it’s alarmed by me touching it, so it starts moving faster. The funny thing is, it crawled into the palm of my hand. I try to crush it. Turns out it’s a cockroach. I’m not germophobic or anything, but I’d totally hate to have more of those things crawling on my body.

Luckily, the Krasue is out of my radar. I take my cellphone and use a flashlight app to look around. Lots of empty boxes, books and plenty of dust. I’m amazed I’m not coughing like crazy at this point. There’s nothing to see here, so I head upstairs.

I look around and feel relieved, for the Krasue is not here. It’s dark as hell, but the moonlight is more or less helping me see everything around me. I look around and find some long knives in the kitchen. It’s not enough, but it’s better than nothing. I feel the need to find Mike, Chester and Talinda, so I start looking around the house, but, at the same time, I keep my eyes open and try to be as quiet as possible.

Thankfully, it’s not around at the moment, so I go upstairs, hoping that I’ll find them. It’s quiet in Gerard’s room. It’s foolish of me to go there, however, they could be anywhere at this point. I’m amazed that the Krasue isn’t there, for this place seems to be its lair. I don’t turn the light on so that I wouldn’t get the monster’s attention. I feel something cold and hard under my feet, so I duck down to see what it is. I notice someone’s legs under the bed. Goodness fucking gracious, is that thing experimenting with its ways of killing people? Ignoring my disgust, I pull the legs towards me, being aware that I may end up seeing only those limbs. 

It’s not just legs. It’s an entire body. I touch the body, trying to figure out who it is. The weak moonlight shows that this person doesn’t have any tattoos. That’s relaxing, which means Chester is alive and well. And it’s not a woman’s body, either. So I can be certain that Talinda is fine as well. And what if it’s Mike? Tortured by caution, fear and curiosity, I turn on the flashlight on my cellphone and look at the body. It’s beheaded. This thing is dressed in black and red, just like Gerard would dress. I found the Krasue’s body. I need to tell my friends about it, so that we could end this fight.

My thoughts are interrupted by the rattling of the furniture in Gerard’s room. That thing must be close, so I hide the body under the bed to avoid any suspicions. It can’t know I was here. Siren-like moaning spreads across the house, giving me chills and almost making me freeze. I run downstairs for safety, without having any idea of what I’d do with the Krasue if I saw it.

Everything that’s going on is exactly what I saw in my dream before I found out Gerard was actually dead and his body was possessed by a bloodsucking monster that feeds on pregnant women and babies. Only this time, I know EXACTLY what’s going on. Alas, it doesn’t change a fucking thing. I’m still dead meat, anyway. I run to the living room, hoping to hide under the basement again. To my misfortune, this monster is right there.

“I should’ve went outside.” - I think to myself, as the Krasue corners me, giving no opportunities of getting away. I can hear it breathe and moan, but it’s much louder. My heart is racing, but I can’t move. This is it. That’s how it’s going to end. I’m going to die. The fight is over for me and I know it. I try to move my hand to find one of the kitchen knives that I put in the pocket beforehand. No use. I still can’t move. It’s disheartening to know how it’s going to end. Everyone expects to make it to old age. I will just end up being one of the Krasue’s casualties, dying in agony at the age of 37.

“It’s too late to talk about that, Frankie. It would’ve been a good idea, indeed. But.. Humans are known to mistake intuition for the follies their fear gets into their head. Don’t worry. I will make an exception for you. I’ll make it quick and painless, I promise.” - the monster says with the same old chilling voice, having mild characteristics of Gerard’s voice.

It licks my neck and I feel disgusted. The monster says that the sound of my heartbeat sounds very mesmerizing. Mesmerizing, my ass. Just stop monologuing and kill me if you want it so much. It’s not like I can kill you.

Help comes from out of nowhere. Someone smacks the Krasue on the head and it becomes unconscious. The demon falls on the floor and I see the person who saved me. He’s incredibly pissed off. And I don’t look at him, assuming he’ll be even more pissed.

“What the hell are you doing here, Frank? Don’t just stand there! RUN! Come, I’ll lead you to the place where we’re hiding.” - Mike yells, grabbing my hand and taking me with him.

He leads me upstairs and I look around and I notice a door above our heads. Is it just me or do we have an attic? Funny thing is, I’ve been living in this house for years, but I didn’t know that we had one until now. Mike opens the door and we go inside.  
I feared that it would stink. But it doesn’t at all. On the contrary, ignoring the sight of a few boxes here and there, this seems like a very tidy place. And there’s even a scent of lavender in the air, which sort of comforts me in some way. The lights are off, but the moonlight is bright enough to help me see what’s going on around here. Just as I expected, Chester is on the verge of losing his shit over me waltzing around my house, knowing that there’s a bloodsucking demon on the loose. Talinda acts calm, but she’s also concerned as hell.

“What the fuck, Frank?” - Chaz whispers agressively. - “Are you out of your fucking mind? That thing could’ve killed you!”

I feel personally attacked by what I just heard. Though we did make a deal about fighting that thing together, a part of me wanted to see Gerard dying peacefully. Or at least so that this demon could vanish for good. I wanted to kill that thing on my own, for I felt like it was my sole responsibility. Truth be told, I even think it’s my fault Gerard died. Even though it would’ve been more mature of me to tell them about my motives, I get hysterical and respond with a dry voice: “Why do you care?”

“One, you are my friend, so why wouldn’t I? Two, Gerard asked me to protect you at all costs.” - he says, shaking me up with his thin, but muscular arms.

\- What?

“Before the honeymoon, Gerard and I had a conversation about our significant others. We’d talk about our expectations for the future, plans, what we love about them, what we hate about them, you name it. Then, Gerard looked me in the eye and grabbed my wrists with a very strong grip. He said: “Don’t you dare brush this off. I want you to listen to me closely and attentively. Perhaps, everything will be fine. Nevertheless, I’d still ask for a favor.. Please, Chester, please. If anything ever happens to me, take care of Frank. The future is uncertain and I want him to be safe. I know that he usually tends to be the protective one, but anything can happen.” Before I could say anything, Gerard just stormed off. I even believe I heard him sob at some point. Who would’ve thought that he’d have actually died later? So, listen to me.. You’re my friend and I care about you. I don’t want to lose you, or Mike, or anyone else. So, for fuck’s sake, don’t act stupid and stick with us, OK?” - Bennington says, feeling as if a huge weight has been lifted off his shoulders.

“What will we do about the Krasue?” - Mike firmly asks, and I’m starting to feel like a kid in the principal’s office.

“I saw the body.” - I say calmly, knowing that everyone will lose their shit.

“What? Where is it?” - Mike demandingly asks.

I admit that it’s still in Gerard’s room. Shinoda gets even more pissed after hearing this. He starts ranting about how the Krasue almost killed me and I basically lost my opportunity to have it killed. Now that thing is out there looking for us and we’re deprived of the chance to find that body again. However, time is not on our side. The color of the sky becomes lighter. Sunrise will start very soon and we’ll lose the chance of killing that monster. 

“You’re coming with us, Frank. We must stick together.” - Mike says, as I take a deep breath and follow my friends to the ground floor.

It’s very noisy, only this time, I hear an irritating whistle in my ear. My head starts to hurt. Judging by the fact that my friends covered their ears as well, I can at least rest assured that I’m not hallucinating. On the other hand, I already have a bloodsucking demon in my house, so the word “impossible” is no longer relevant. Anything can happen in this house and we all know it.

I hear a voice coming from nearby. It’s a woman’s voice, but not Talinda’s. It’s a quite husky and sinister laughter. As I try to follow the sound of that voice, the whistle becomes louder and even more unbearable. The laughter gets louder and I start seeing a silhouette appear in front of my eyes.

“Hello, everyone. You must be very well acquainted with my new creation. Oh, sorry, Frank, I didn’t mean for this to happen, but sacrifices must be made.” - the  
stranger says, and I’m shocked by how soft and melodious her voice is.

A very tall young woman is standing in front of us in a very modelesque pose. She flirtatiously flips her long blonde curls and looks at us with that kind of expression as if she’s plotting something that would be nasty for us, but beneficial to her. Her long lacy white dress makes her look angelic, just like her voice. But everything about her gestures and expressions show the true ugliness of her nature.

It doesn’t take too long to realize one thing: Gerard was turned. And I’m standing right in front of the one who did this. She waves her hand and caresses my cheek. I get the strong urge to punch her in the face, however, I know I just can’t do it. I look around and notice that Chester is not here. I have a strong feeling that he’s planning to help us.Then, before I know it, I close my eyes and hear a bloodcurdling scream. I open my eyes. The woman is lying on the floor, dead.


	11. Chapter 11

Frank.

“I figured we’d need to take care of her.” - Mike whispers, and then he’s silent.

Chester doesn’t seem chill, though. He just killed a person, which is something he’d never expect from himself. The blade of the knife went through the artery, which is what killed the witch. The man is frozen and is in complete shock, pale as a reaper, staring at the antagonist he has just murdered. That doesn’t look like something she’d wake up from, thankfully. Though Bennington did the right thing, I need to admit: taking a life takes guts up to some point.

“It’s ok. You did the right thing. It was either her, or us.” - Mike says, embracing his best friend and showering him with condolences.

Essentially, the next move is to find the body. Shinoda says that doing so will bring us one step closer to killing the Krasue. I’m liberated at the thought of Gerard finally being at peace, no longer bothered by the monster that is currently in control of his body. But this also makes me sad, for I’ll never see him again. To be fair, the Gerard that was around after the car crash was never the real deal, and I’m sure that I wouldn’t like living one second in lies and deceit, as well as unwillingly being responsible for all of the losss he caused. I don’t want to feel guilt. I don’t want to feel remorse for something that as never my fault. But more importantly, I want my deceased spouse to find peace, which is something he has been lacking for ages. I don’t know how I would’ve felt if I were Gee, but I’m certain about one thing: being possessed by a monster, though you’re an innocent person, is one of the worst things life could possibly throw at you. I don’t know how I’d have coped.

“I knew her.” - Talinda says from out of the blue.

“What? Then, what were her goals?” - Mike says, showering her with questions. - “What was she like?”

“A very immoral and disgusting person. She was one of the most feared witches in the world. Thankfully, the other evil witches were eventually killed off. She was the only one who survived. I don’t know the woman’s name and I don’t care. She had a very strong disapproval of humans, so instead of them, she wanted to create a “better” species. I hate to say it, but Gerard must be that kind of “experiment” of others.”

Hearing this makes my blood boil. How did the witch dare to cause so many casualties? Why did it have to be my husband? However, if the Krasue were someone else, things would’ve been much harder for us. I wouldn’t wish that kind of fate on anyone. Being on the receiving end also sucked and and we need to put an end to this. Too many people have died. 

We enter Gerard’s room, ignoring the rattling and the chilling moans. I point at the place where I found the body, but there was nothing there except for a sealed package of comic books. Someone’s sinister laughter makes us stop our search.

The situation is more tense. The Krasue is in front of us. I bet if it had a body, it would’ve been standing there with its arms crossed. The monster looks at us with a witty smile and I begin to realize that we look completely dumb at the moment.

“Did you seriously think I didn’t know? Did you think that I’d have left it there? Nice try, Frankie.” - the Krasue says, accurately imitating Gerard’s voice and intonation.

“Oh, how naive of you to bring her here. Do you seriously believe that I won’t finish her off, just because she has “Three Musketeers” wannabes by her side? Don’t make me laugh.” - it scoffs, as its laughter echoes across the room. 

Then, the monster flies up to me rapidly and looks right into my eyes. Funny how the unpleasant sight of his vital organs below his head doesn’t bother me in the slightest. Nevertheless, I’m still irritated by the Krasue’s impressions of Gerard. I know that it’s doing so to play tricks with me, but I can’t stay calm when this atrocity happens to me so frequently.

“Come on, sugar, don’t frown. You know that I love you.” - he whispers sensually, licking my left ear.

Though I see Gerard’s face, hear his voice, I am disgusted. I don’t want him touching me. I don’t want him near me. I don’t want to have anything in common with that thing, I just want it to disappear. Because it’s not Gerard anymore, nor it will ever be. This monster assumes that by flirting with me, it can distract me and get everyone killed. Don’t hold your breath, dumbass!

I instantly take one of the knives out of my pocket and stab him in the eye. The demon makes a raspy roar, making my entire body shiver. This thing is completely outraged. Its face turns red and the eye gets a very vicious and chilling glow. It looks at all of us and says that it is tired of playing games with us and it wants to make actions speak louder than words. 

The Krasue flies to me and starts choosing whom to attack. “Eenie, meenie, minie, mo, catch a tiger by the toe.” - it chants, flying to every one of us after saying each word from that phrase. Though the monster can no longer see with one of its eyes, it doesn’t seem to be worried about it at all. 

“I won’t need eyes to kill you. You know that too well.” - the Krasue says, revealing its pointy tusks.

Then, it notices that someone is not around. The monster starts flying around Gerard’s room and calling out his name. Chester is not there. This alerts everyone, except for me. I have a strong feeling that he’s going to help us out. He couldn’t leave for no reason. And though killing that witch did freak him out to some extent, he’d never ditch us.

“Oh, such a shame. I was hoping Chazy would come with us. Oh, well, beggars can’t be choosers, am I right, Frankie?” - the Krasue moans, laughing hysterically.

The monster picks its victim again. I look around to see how others are reacting to the fact that the Krasue is literally turning murder into a sick game. Mike is calm and almost indifferent. At first I’m a little shocked and wonder if he gave up on fighting in the first place. But then I look more attentively and notice that he managed to find a katana in Gerard’s room. He must have noticed it while I was trying to get the body from under the bed. Shinoda looks like he’s ready to attack, but a mild sense of discomfort shows that he has no idea how to use this weapon. Talinda is holding a handgun, but she tries to get as little attention as possible, for she’s aware that she’s the first one on his murder list. Neither Mike, nor Talinda say a single word. 

The Krasue doesn’t look like it gives a shit though. It still looks at every one of us and laughs from time to time, as if it has just heard the funniest joke ever. I have a ton of other kitchen knives, but I know that they’ll only wound the monster, not kill it. To end its life, we need to find the body. And the body is nowhere in sight.  
The Krasue flies up to me and sighs, full of disappointment. It looks right into my eyes, hoping it can magically reassure me and make me turn on my close friends. 

The monster winks its eye and then hums a familiar tune. That thing must have Gerard’s memories, so I’m even more pissed by the fact that it starts laying a finger on Way’s art by using it a manipulation tool. It knows I’m outraged and it’s happy about it. I have no doubt that this is what the Krasue wants me to feel.

“You see, Frank, I thought that we could cooperate. After all, we’re spouses. Aren’t we supposed to be together, in sickness and in health, in fortune and poverty, till death does us part?” - it asks, putting on a depressed tone of voice.

“Gerard is dead. You are not him. And you will never be him.” - I say, as I feel the overwhelming immature urge to spit at his face. 

\- I’m very disappointed in you, honey. You see, my creator helped me survive so that I could create a new race. Better than pathetic mankind. Me feeding on pregnant women and infants will help weed out the lower class and make the other one, people like us, prosper. It’ll be a whole new world. With actual intelligence and power in it. And don’t give me the whole technology talk. I don’t need either of that to survive. If you were actually that smart, you would’ve been able to kill me a long time ago. Alas, I’m still here. You know, I can offer you a deal. I’ll keep you alive, but you will become the same species as I am, OK? Does that sound fair to you?

\- I’d rather be dead than be your accomplice. This is not evolution, this is a motherfucking apocalypse and you’re the ringleader.

\- Too bad, I had so much faith in you. After all, you ARE my husband. You’re supposed to support me in everything I do, honey. I love you with all my heart, but sacrifices must be made. It’s a shame you don’t understand.

Great, now he’s pulling the “noble spouse” card. I remind that thing that Gerard is dead and he will never become a replacement for Gerard. In fact, of course, all of the trouble and mayhem the Krasue is causing, claiming to be him would’ve had Gerard rolling in his grave. Which is ironic, since Gerard isn’t even buried for obvious   
reasons.

The windows in Gerard’s room are open and I start feeling a faint scent of smoke and just something burning. It can’t be. What’s going on? Did Chester just come up with something and find the body? If yes, then it’s a relief. But why isn’t the Krasue dying? The monster is still calmly flying above the ground, watching all of us and smiling blackheartedly. It flies up to me again and licks my ear. Can that thing stop assuming that it being in Gerard’s body will be the crack in the ice it’s trying to break?

“I’ll need to look around. This is getting boring. But don’t worry, I’ll come up with something. So don’t you dare fall for the thought that you’ll be safe while I’m gone. I’ll end all of you. You’ll thank me for it some day.” - the Krasue says and then flies away.

I look at my friends, waiting for a reaction. Mike instantly says that Chester must have found the body. That’s both good news and bad news. Good news, because the Krasue will die without its body by sunrise. Bad news: it will become infuriated and try to kill us all. Talinda takes a deep breath and says: “Let’s hope it won’t kill us. Let’s hope for the best.” Seems like a valid idea, but I don’t know how much time we have left, so I ask Mike and Talinda if they have their weapons ready.

They nod. I swiftly search through the room and find a very heavy box that can knock the Krasue out if I hit the monster with it if it comes too close to me. The rattling and the chilling moans are back again. Talinda and Mike prepare their weapons and stare at the open door that leads out of Gerard’s room.

As expected, the Krasue is back. It is completely enraged, roaring almost every five seconds. I have a strong feeling that it can kill us. Chester must be burning the body at the moment and the monster is running out of time. It flies over to Talinda, but I block the way and cover her. The Krasue scoffs and bites me, before I could blink my eyes.

I fall on the floor and start shivering. Blood is spreading all over the place and I’m on the verge of losing consciousness. The Krasue is also on the floor, taking its last enfuriated breaths. I have no idea if I’ll survive or not. But one thing is undeniable: I saved a lot of lives tonight. This monster won’t claim any lives anymore. Then, the Krasue makes its last bloodcurdling roar and reluctantly closes its eyes.

I feel like it’s my turn now. I try to move my fingers, but I can’t. I feel so cold as if someone locked me up in the freezer. Judging by the barely comprehensive chatter, they’re trying to save me. The Krasue bit my neck and its tusks went right through my artery. There’s nothing that can be done. Just as I prepare myself for my death, I feel someone’s hand on my neck. And then I stand up.


	12. Epilogue

Epilogue. 

Funny how life works out. Sometimes, things don’t go the way you planned. Sometimes, the things you despised the most end up saving you. This is what happened to me. After all of the shit the Krasue has caused, becoming a vampire was the last thing I wanted. Nevertheless, I was on my deathbed, so this was my only option. Luckily, Talinda knew exactly how to solve my issue. I’d go to hospices and feed on those who were dying(becoming a vampire also gave me heightened intuition). Chester’s wife turned out to be a witch, however, as opposed to the one that we killed, she was on the light side. 

“Hey, Frank, are you alright?” - I hear a familiar voice say.

I notice the blue and red flame tattoo on the person’s left wrist and I know who it is. Chester is sitting by my side, holding my hand. Talinda is sitting on a chair next to me, holding a baby in her arms. It’s good to know the both of them are safe now. Mike is on my left, smiling at the thought that no one will bother us anymore.

I’m in the living room, lying on a violet couch. The colors of the room are mostly violet, black and golden. There’s a fireplace behind me. Though it’s summer, I think of Christmas when I look at it. There’s a flat widescreen TV on the violet walls and a small black table in front of me. I feel the relaxing scent of lavender.

“Yes, I am. Thanks for asking. For how long was I asleep?” - I ask, feeling relieved that I’m alive and the Krasue is dead.

\- Just a few weeks. In case you’re wondering, don’t worry, the sun won’t harm you. But you MUST feed, though.

\- What about the funeral?

\- We took care of it. We’re truly sorry for your loss. But, please, don’t blame yourself. This wasn’t your fault. Gerard would’ve wanted you to be happy. We want you to be happy as well.

\- I think you’re right.

I stand up and I instantly feel a burning sensation in my throat. If my heart was beating, I’m sure it would’ve been racing like hell. I’m amazed I survived without food for so long. I come up to my friends and hug every single one of them. As usual, Chester’s hugs happen to be the most special ones. The amount of care and affection in his hugs never cease to amaze me. My sense of smell got stronger, for I start feeling scents. I must say, they’re quite pleasant. It’s hard to describe them, but they sure as hell perfectly describe what the people in front of me are like.

“Will you come and visit me from time to time?” - I ask, for during those weeks I was unconscious and simply couldn’t talk to them at all back then.

“Of course we will, don’t worry about that.” - Mike says, patting me on the back.

The guy starts laughing. I haven’t seen Mike in such a happy state for quite a long time and that makes me feel joyful. The worst is over. It’s time for happiness in our lives. A new chapter is about to begin.

The fire in my throat reminds me of my thirst, so I carefully hint them that I wouldn’t mind to quench it. They nod and then they open a window on my right. I take a deep breath, turn into a bat and fly away.

A few moments later, it’s late in the evening. After having fed, I decide to check up on my friends again. I catch Chester and Mike’s scent from afar, so I follow it. I can’t help but give him credit for his amazing talent: both the pure voice and the powerful screams. Reminds me of the days when I had a band. As usual, Mike accompanies his bandmate’s singing with his rap verses. It’s incredible how such different genres ended up making a great fusion in their art.

I hide behind the bushes and turn back into a human. Unbelievable. I thought that vampires don’t turn into bats. I have a strong feeling that my existence will debunk every single belief I had about them. I take a deep breath and I feel the strong smell of forest trees nearby. I’m at an open air festival, just like on the day Chester got me acquainted with Gerard.

I look through my pockets and find a VIP ticket in my pocket, so I hand it over to a security guard standing in front of me. “Right this way.” - he says, pointing at a loud crowd cheering and chanting the names of the members of the band.

I almost forgot what it’s like to be at a concert. Listening to them on a cellphone or on a CD player is one thing, Hearing them live gives other, completely different feelings. And while I’m at a loss for words at my attempts to describe how happy and liberated I am, I am content with the fact that I feel safe. Nothing will bother us anymore. No witch will plot a vampire Armageddon, no bodyless vampire will feed on babies and pregnant women. Everything will be back to normal.

The band members wink their eyes at me and smile. The concert ends, so I go backstage and wait for them. Surprisingly, Mike and Chester are here, with the rest of the band. My friends introduce me to the rest of the band and they are clearly happy to see me.

“Can we talk in private?” - I ask, and my two friends stand up and follow me outside.

They nod and then we find a place in the forest. We’re not far away from the stage, so we won’t get lost. I feel the cold wind tenderly blowing and I hear birds chirping melodiously in a harmonious choir. We chat about the good memories we had and then, we talk about our plans. We’re ready for a brand new future. A future where we’re safe, sound and happy. And it’s real.

I see the first rays of the sun and I tell them that I have to leave. The guys hug me again and wave me goodbye. I look at my friends and wave back at them. I leap up and turn into a bat and fly back home, as the wind speeds me up and leads the way back. I look at the sky and whisper: “Gerard, thank you for everything.”


End file.
